The American Spectator

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IT'S THE SLAVE ECONOMY, STUPID
Re: Matthew Kenefick's Shades of Gray:

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln set forth what the war was about for him. It was a test to determine whether government of the people, by the people, and for the people would survive. If our nation is divided, then our attempt at preserving such a government has failed. A major goal of the internationalists is to weaken the power of national governments.

My family settled in Middle Georgia around 1800. My great-grandfather lost an eye to a Yankee bullet, and was a founding member of the KKK. But I agree with Peter Marshall's reading of the Civil War. For the South, it was about slavery. Their whole way of life depended on it. For Lincoln it was about preserving the Union. Lincoln said, "If I could abolish slavery and save the Union, I would do it; if I could legalize slavery and save the Union, I would do it; if I could abolish slavery in some states and legalize it in others, and thereby save the Union, I would do that."

Lincoln was very careful not to violate the Constitution, because that would give the South a justification. He said, "I could not abolish slavery, even if I wanted to;" and "Unless the South attacks me, I am powerless to act against them." The South did not cite the Declaration of Independence as justification for secession, because they knew Lincoln would claim the same rights for Blacks. Neither did they cite States Rights. That argument appeared after the War. Before the War, Southerners announced that if a "Black Republican" (a Republican who opposed slavery) was elected President, they would secede. Lincoln's duly executed democratic election was the proximate cause of the war.
-- DuPree Moore

WE'LL ALL BE RICH WHEN THE STIMULUS HITS
Re: Joseph Lawler's The Bigger Dig:

So one dollar spent by the government magically becomes $2.50 because of the "multiplier effect"?

Reminds me of the story of two drunks, walking down the road. One has a big jug of wine, the other a dollar bill. And when one gets thirsty, he hands the dollar to the other and gets the jug in return. And on they go, swapping the jug and the dollar back and forth, telling each other "won't we be rich when we wake up!"
-- Martin Owens
Sacramento, California