Standing with the facts about the Civil War

By Gary Milner, Corvallis

 

Dee Gibney’s comments about the Civil War need addressing. She states “… the Civil War was not about slavery, it was about the South gaining more power in Congress…” She also states “… I know my Civil War history better than most people.” That’s probably true and here are facts she probably knows.

 

Article I, Section 9, Clause 4 of the Confederate States Constitution prohibited the Confederate government from restricting slavery in any way. It states, “No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed.”

 

Article IV, Section 2 states: “The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States; and shall have the right of transit and sojourn in any State of this Confederacy, with their slaves and other property; and the right of property in said slaves shall not be thereby impaired.”

 

Article IV, Section 3, Clause 3 is an attempt to make sure that any “new” states would exist as slave states “… In all such territory the institution of negro slavery, as it now exists in the Confederate States, shall be recognized and protected by Congress and by the Territorial government; and the inhabitants of the several Confederate States and Territories shall have the right to take to such Territory any slaves lawfully held by them in any of the States or Territories of the Confederate States.”

 

States seceding from the union wrote “Declaration of Causes”. From Mississippi: “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery–the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.” From Texas: “… maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery–the servitude of the African to the white race within her limits–a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist in all future time.”

 

Andrew Stevens, vice president of the Confederacy, stated, “With us, all of the white race, however high or low, rich or poor, are equal in the eye of the law. Not so with the negro. Subordination is his place.”
Slavery was a leading cause of the civil war and important enough to be enshrined in their constitution and declarations of succession. Men fought and died to uphold the Confederate States Constitution endorsing slavery.

 

Mrs. Gibney states, “… grow up, be an adult, and support this country and stop tearing it down. If you don’t like it here please leave.”

 

Denying the causes of the Civil war is not being an adult. Denial and the use of alternative facts are commonly used now to promote certain ideologies. It takes an adult to honestly look at issues from the past, learn from them and make amends. It’s hard, and forces us to address tough realities. It’s the only way, however, that our democracy will survive and our country will live up to its potential.