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Quotes from Confederate Politicians The “property in slaves is so insecure as to be comparatively worthless…. thereby annihilating in effect property worth thousands of millions of dollars” – a speech by Jefferson Davis (1861). Slavery was “the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution” – Andrew Stephens, Vice –president of the CSA, speech made in March 1861. …”the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first in this history of the world, based on this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.” – Andrew Stephens, speech, 1861. Quotes from Secessionist Commissioners In late 1860 and early 1861, state-appointed commissioners traveled around the in order to persuade the political leadership and the people of the south to join in the effort to secede from the union. Their speeches are well-documented. These are the reasons they gave themselves. “The conflict between slavery and non-slavery is a conflict for life and death. The South cannot exist without slavery” – South Carolina Secessionist Commissioner (1861). “…slavery was ordained by God and sanctioned by humanity.” – Mississippi Secessionist Commissioner. Talking to Georgians, a Mississippi secessionist said that the Republican Party was going to …”substitute in its stead their new theory of universal equality of the black and white races.” “We will have black governors, black juries, black everything.” – Georgia Secessionist Commissioner. Yankee fanatics intended to force our “sons and daughters” to associate “with free negroes upon terms of political and social equality” thus “consigning [the South’s] citizens to assassination and her wives and daughters to pollutions and violation to gratify the lust of half civilized Africans.” - Alabama Secessionist Commissioner. Apostles of Disunion (2002) – Charles Dew (a Virginian whose ancestors fought for the Confederacy). Dew confesses the book was “painful to write.” The “property in slaves is so insecure as to be comparatively worthless…. thereby annihilating in effect property worth thousands of millions of dollars” – a speech by Jefferson Davis (1861). Slavery was “the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution” – Andrew Stephens, Vice –president of the CSA, speech made in March 1861. …”the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first in this history of the world, based on this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.” – Andrew Stephens, speech, 1861. http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Disunion-Southern-Secession-Commissioners/dp/081392104X Confederate Organizations Early in the 20th-century, the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) and the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) went on a textbook crusade throughout the south and pressured publication companies throughout the U.S.. Their intent was to correct “Yankee falsehoods.” Mildred Rutherford, president of the UDC listed these instructions to teachers and librarians in 1919:
Rutherford also lists her “historical facts” to consider when evaluating history. They include:
Despite the absurdity of her “facts”, Rutherford was highly successful at her lobbying campaign, especially with textbooks below the college level. Eventually, however, these lobbying groups also were successful at revising college textbooks by 1920 The Mighty Scourge – James McPherson
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