BUGEYE this is for you and again thank you for your apology. I hope mine is exceptable as well, to you. Prayers are sent.
I think the common man got taken to the wood shed by the leaders of this country. I blame Lincoln for his cowardness in his lack of upholding our Constitution. He was the President and as Harry was so fond of saying "The buck stops here!"
By that I mean, as I posted in another thread, Madison takes on this problem and clearly rejects it as an answer to squash a rebellious state. Buchannan reminded all in congress of this rejected move by Madison just before leaving congress.
We had several mini rebellions since the begining of our country and never before had our leaders allowed the problems to fester as they did this one. Remember any problem is only as big as you allow it to become. Two of our earlier rebellions which were handled with out war were Shay's rebellion in Mass. and the SC Nullification action. Another lesser known is that action in Kentucky brought on by noneother that Jefferson himself.
If Lincoln were so great a leader as some, both here and in the history media, would have us believe surely he would have found a better way to lead this country and SAVE our Constitution from the scrap heap. War was not the only answer, it was not even a good answer, and in the mind of the Father of our Constitution it was NEVER the answer. For in the end, under the Constitution that Madison handed to us, the real power is in the hands of the people!
The Radicals in the South also get no pass from me, Georgia in particular, had two well known and fire brand leaders who played the race card to stir the masses. Yet even then, if you but check the voting you will fine that there were many who wanted no part in this mess and seccession was carried only by a very small margin.
Lincoln had to call his cabinet together twice before he could convence them to go along with his plans plus he kept the Congress in the dark for 90 days before advising them of his thoughts. All of these acts being unConstitutional. As only Congress has the power to declare war and supply the funds for calling up the troops.
Jeff Davis, even though he personally believed in and valued the Constitution and also told his wife that there was no way this would ever work allowed himself to be drawn into this fire and never opened his mouth to voice his questioning displeasure of seccession.
So in my humble opinion this war should have never happened. The blood and yes the guilt lie in the hands of our leaders on both sides and no one tried to stop it. As they say "All it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing!"
I hope this has given a glimps into my thinking; above all things and even though I was born in Georgia my true Allegiance is to the Constitution. I swore an oath to protect and defend it thus next to my faith in God and my children I count that as my greatest responsibility!
