It was about economics- northern businessmen, trade policy and the $ bottom line.ScottDLS wrote:Pawpaw wrote:You are, of course, correct. I got a little over zealous.ScottDLS wrote:Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, two years after the American Civil War started, but your point is still valid.
Still, when Lincoln was elected, the southern Democrats saw the writing on the wall and that lead to the Civil War. Slavery was not the ONLY issue, but it was a big one.
Arguably the main one. I never bought the "mean old Northern businessmen and tariffs".
Manufacturing required skilled labor, whereas agriculture needed cheap labor.
Trade between the south and Europe was bypassing the manufactures in the industrial northern states. South shipped cotton and Europe return the ships with manufactured goods.
The more populated northern states held congressional power and used it to pass trade laws that would benefit them-thus the almost 50% tariffs targeting European/Southern trade. (and forcing the south into buying northern implements.) The south fought the tariffs and the north relented only to once again pass new tariffs (this went on for decades).
The south was being governed by the whims of the northern interests.
The north then used the issue of slavery as a convenient ploy-you can bet if slavery was a significant addition to the bottom line the north wouldnt have been so 'morally' against it.
The Confederates were winning the war. So in an effort to ignite a slave rebellion. In desperation, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation as a war strategy. He did not free slaves in the neutral states, as he was trying to maintain favorable relationships.
Lincoln wrote -
Not a word about the inhumanity & immorality about slavery-so just what was the issue?“I would save the Union. … If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it. … What I do about Slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union.”
BTW Lincoln offered to keep slavery if the Confederates would stay in the union.
