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Five Arguments used by the South to Justify Secession

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Five Arguments used by the South to Justify Secession

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 “Slavery is a positive good for America, and for slaves themselves.”

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 “Slavery is a positive good for America, and for slaves themselves.”

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This image shows the comparison between American slaves and European slaves. It claims to provide evidence for the fact that slaves in the US are treated better than the European slaves. It portrays the African American slaves as happy, smiling, and having a sense of family. While the British factory workers are sick and look in distress. The southerns painted pictures like this to show that slavery should be acceptable in the US, considering that they weren't treating the slaves that badly. This made the argument that US slavery was creating better lives for the slaves themselves because of their positive treatment. This in turn benefited the country because these laborers were producing the raw materials for northern manufacturing and overall was helping the economy.

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"I have known him to cut and slash the women's heads so horribly, that even master would be enraged at his cruelty, and would threaten to whip him if he did not mind himself. Master, however, was not a humane slaveholder. It required extraordinary barbarity on the part of an overseer to affect him. He was a cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding. He would at times seem to take great pleasure in whipping a slave."

Frederick Douglass' autobiography describes life for an enslaved man who became free. The document discusses the hardships that Douglass endured while he was in slavery and he explains the brutal ways that the slaveholders treated them. He says they were violently whipped and slashed every day and beaten for fun. The slaveholders enjoyed torturing the slaves, which shows that they were absolutely not treating them well. This primary source proves the claim to be false. The slaves were not treated better than the European slaves and were treated as inhumanly as ever.

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Copy of Frederick Douglass autobiography excerpt

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”The Federal Government is entirely in the hands of the Northern states, and only exists to serve Northern interests.”

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”The Federal Government is entirely in the hands of the Northern states, and only exists to serve Northern interests.”

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Southern Views on North Doc 1

"As it now stands, the North has the absolute control over the Government…(and) on all questions between it and the South, where there is a diversity of interests, the interests of the latter will be sacrificed to the former, however oppressive the effects may be; as the South possesses no means by which it can resist."

The South portrays the North here as overpowering and controlling. They say that the North has complete power over the union and gives no thought to the South. This is a big reason why succession took place, because the Southern leaders convinced others that there was a lack of representation of southern states in the government. The South believes that the North is not following the Fugitive Slave Law and this violates their Constitutional rights. They also feel that their states rights are being taken away and this will end the institution of slavery, which is exactly what they are trying to avoid.

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“The North’s economy uses and exploits us, but does not benefit us.”

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“The North’s economy uses and exploits us, but does not benefit us.”

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Southern Views on the North Doc 2

"With an eagerness rarely equaled, grasps our crops and transfers them to herself—taxing us at every step—and depleting us as extensively as possible without actually destroying us."

This document was written from a Southern perspective and claims that the North is depleting them of resources and using them for their benefit. The Southerners describe the North as greedy and imply that they are taking advantage of them. They claim to be depleted of resources and money because of the heavy tax put on them by the North. This was another sophism invented by the South to persuade Southerners to succeed because the North was exploiting the Southern economy. They claim that living in a union together would only benefit the North and would eventually be a detriment to the South.

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“The Republican Party is run by dangerous, radical abolitionists.”

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“The Republican Party is run by dangerous, radical abolitionists.”

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"They have robbed us of our property, they have murdered our citizens who only endeavored to reclaim that property by lawful means, they have set at naught the decrees of the Supreme Court, they have invaded our States and killed our citizens, they have declared their unalterable determination to exclude us altogether from the Territories, they have nullified the laws of Congress."

This article lists all of the dangerous things that the Republican Party did to the South, according to the Southerners. They claim that the Republicans murdered Democrats, invaded their territories, and corrupted the courts. Painting this picture makes it a strong argument against the North. The Southern leaders wanted everybody in their states to believe these horrific actions were done by the Northerners so that they would agree to succession. Creating a strong case of illegal actions that violate human rights got many people on board because they didn't want to be united with dangerous citizens or a violent country. This list of felonies made Republicans and Northerners seem radical and dangerous, which made people to turn to the South for guidance.

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Copy of “THE RECORD OF THE BLACK REPUBLICANS” - 12/2022

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“The States created the Union and the Constitution, and so they have every right to withdraw from the Union if it doesn’t protect their interests.”

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“The States created the Union and the Constitution, and so they have every right to withdraw from the Union if it doesn’t protect their interests.”

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"Thus were established the two great principles asserted by the Colonies, namely: the right of a State to govern itself; and the right of a people to abolish a Government when it becomes destructive of the ends for which it was instituted. And concurrent with the establishment of these principles, was the fact, that each Colony became and was recognized by the mother Country a FREE, SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATE."

The South Carolina and Mississippi succession documents explain why these southern states succeeded from the union. They believe that the Colonies created the Union and Constitution after the British had violated their rights. They were able to leave British control because of this. Here, they are attempting to use this same argument against the Union. They argue that they were promised to be free, independent states by the colonies and therefore can leave the union if they please. These states now feel that the union is violating their rights to self-government, so succeeding is the only option to keep it. They claim the government is becoming destructive of states' rights because of the anti-slavery laws (fugitive slave law) being passed. They think it is a violation of their state's best interests to follow these laws and government because slavery is running their economy. They therefore believe they have the right to create their government and succeed from the Union.

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Copy of South Carolina and Mississippi secession documents

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Northern Views on the South Doc 1

"The North, distracted by a thousand interests, has always been at the mercy of whatever barbarian chief in the capitol could throw his slave-whip into the trembling scale of party. The government having been always, since this century began, at least, the creature and the tool of the slaveholders…, and the treasury filled chiefly by Northern commerce (has) been at their command to help manipulate and mold plastic Northern consciences…"

This document presents the Northern views on this argument and completely contradicts what the South attempted to claim. They correct the South by describing how the government has always consisted of slaveholders and important men who approve of slavery. They say that the government has always worked to "mold plastic Northern consciences" and convince Northerners that slavery aids the economy. This exposes the Southern argument as false because the government is not working only for the North, but mostly in favor of the South and slavery. Since the creation of the government, the leaders have allowed slavery. This historical evidence proves the Southern leaders' argument to be incorrect.

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Doc 3: Lincoln's First Message to Congress

"Our states have neither more, nor less, power than that reserved to them by the constitution"

In this message, Lincoln describes the power of the states according to the Union and Constitution. He says that they have no more or less power than given to them by the Constitution. This proves the Southern claim of the North states abusing them to be false because all the states have equal power. Therefore, certain states cannot exploit others or take over their economies. This makes the Southern states' claim impossible.

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Northern Views of the South Doc 3

"The state of society in the South, and their laws, exhibits a growing tendency to lapse back into barbarism. There are but few schools, and the masses are growing up in ignorance and vice. Men resort to violence and bloodshed rather than to calm discussion and courts of justice to settle disputes."

This document counters the exact argument that the South made against the North. Here, a Northerner is describing how the South is slowly turning towards barbarism when it comes to their education and ways of protest. He claims they are lowering education and schooling in the South. This argument is persuasive for the North because uneducated people do not make smart, rational decisions. He also describes how they are violent. This shows that the "Barbaric South" wants to wage a war on the North. It explains the reality of the situation and how the Southerners trying to succeed are the ones who promote violence and radical ideas, not the Northerners or Republicans.

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Doc 1: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

"I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

This statement comes from Lincoln's first inaugural address. He clearly states that he does not intend to abolish slavery where it already exists, in the Southern region of the US. This is perfect evidence of why the Southern states should not be worried about slavery being taken away from them. When Lincoln is president he strictly wants to end the spread of slavery, not abolish it completely. This shows how the government is continuing to protect the interests of the Southern states. Lincoln's presidency did not change the Constitution or violate states's rights and the government still has their state agenda in mind. Congress continues to protect Southern interests in keeping slavery, so they have no reason to withdraw from the union.