Indisputable Truths

[redcliffsw]

Just received this and perhaps it belongs in the history or educational section.
Very interesting.......
Rc


Indisputable Truths   

On 6 June, 2009, in observance of Confederate Decoration Day, I was
invited to deliver the keynote address at the Confederate Cemetery in
Chattanooga, Tennessee.  This cemetery is the eternal resting place of
the earthly remains of as many as two-thousand Confederate soldiers. 
Some of these men had been wounded in battle and had been brought to a
hospital that was located across the street from this cemetery.  Others
were suffering from the many diseases that plagued the camps of both
Armies.  Many of these men "crossed the river to rest in the shade of
the trees" and never returned to their Military Unit or to their home
and family. The hospital where they crossed that river eventually
became Erlanger Hospital.  I wrote this as an address to deliver at
that service.  Since then, I have added several important points and
have provided footnotes.  I sincerely hope you will check these
references so you will know the truth!

   One of my favorite Bible passages is John 8:31-32  "To the Jews who
had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are
really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free".  While Jesus spoke of freedom from sin and of a heavenly
reward, the truth will liberate your bias and prejudice during your
time on earth.  The truth will set you free!

May God Bless America, the South, and You,

Edward McNatt Butler  (Ed)

[This article may be printed and/or transmitted to others using all or
any portion of the content as long as the wording is not changed.  It
may be used for any purpose that is honorable.]

    WE HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR

   Southern Bashing is the sport of choice for many of the politically
correct in today's society.  I have thought many times about why a
great nation would persecute a segment of it's own people.  While I
have my own theories about why "those people" wish to bash Southerners,
I am not going to address the reasons they attack us but attempt to
vindicate the reasons we can be proud of our Southern Heritage.

   First I would like to mention the role Southerners played in the
American War for Independence or the American Revolution.  Our history
books have been diluted to the point that young people today do not
know even the nawthern version of the American Revolution.  The fact
is, most high school graduates do not know anything about the "American
Revolution"!  The nawthern version never told the "rest of the story". 
For years, the truth was a casualty of a long and cruel War.  Today,
the truth is a casualty of political correctness!

   If you will study the true history of the American Revolution you will
find that Southerners played leading roles in that War.  After years of
fighting and hardships, many nawtherners decided freedom was just not
worth the price they were paying.  It was the men from the South that
would not give up their "God given Rights" for which they were
fighting.  It was the Southerners that won the "American Revolution". 
Since that time, Southerners have always been very patriotic.  Some
would want us to believe that the Southern States committed treason
when they seceded but, secession was not illegal.  The Treaty of Paris,
signed in 1783 was a treaty between the Kingdom of Great Britain and
thirteen united former British Colonies.  Since the War Between the
States, Southerners have always volunteered in large numbers to defend
their country.  General Joseph Wheeler and many other Southerners
enlisted in the United States Army to fight in the Spanish-American
War.  In both WW I and WW II a disproportionate number of Southerners
volunteered to fight for their country.  In WW II, 64% of all
volunteers came from the South.  Over 70% of the Medal of Honor
recipients during the Viet Nam War were Southerners.  In the Gulf War,
60% of the volunteers came from the South and in the Iraq invasion, 47%
of the troops were Southerners.

    After living under the "Articles of Confederation" for eight years,
the leaders of our new nation realized they needed more than a few
loosely organized rules by which to govern our country.  In May, 1787,
fifty-five delegates met to draft a Constitution.  Four months later,
thirty-nine of these delegates signed the most perfect document ever
written by mortal men.  Every state but Rhode Island sent at least one
delegate to the Convention.  Rhode Island did not want a national
government interfering with their affairs!  James Madison recorded the
items approved by the delegates and organized them in the form you see
them today.  He is known as "The Father of the Constitution".  He was a
Southerner!

   The words "slave and slavery" do not appear in the Constitution but
the writers included three Clauses that protected the "Institution of
Slavery".  While slavery is condemned by today's moral and societal
standards, these standards can not be applied to the past.  Slavery is
as old as mankind and is still a common practice in several parts of
this modern world.  I urge you to read the Constitution of the United
States of America and bring to your attention:   Article I, Section 2,
Clause 3;  Article I, Section 2, Clause 15; and Article 4, Section 2,
Clause 3. (1)  These three Clauses protected the "Institution of
Slavery" and made that Institution, a National Institution!  Slavery
was not just a Southern thing!

   You will find the Constitution to be very readable.  Some of the
wording and phrases may not be familiar but for the most part you will
find it to be easily read and understood.  Be sure to read "The Bill of
Rights"!  It is "The Bill of Rights that guarantees American citizens
some of our most precious "God Given Rights"!  No other country on
earth enjoys some of the rights given to us by the "Bill of Rights"!

   I also urge you to read the Declaration of Independence, it was
written by Thomas Jefferson, a Southerner.  You should read the
Preamble and the first section entitled, "A Declaration of Rights". 
The third sentence in that Section states and I quote:  That whenever
any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the
Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying it's foundation on such principles and organizing
it's powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect
their Safety and Happiness. (2)  I can not overemphasize the importance
of this phrase.  It justifies the Secession of the Southern States!

   Another fallacy perpetuated by nawthern history states that the
Confederate States of America destroyed "The Union" when they seceded. 
We need to determine the historical validity of that statement.  On
December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the
Constitution.  New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the
Constitution and thus put the Constitution in effect on June 21, 1788.
(3)  These dates and the names of the states are not as important as
the number NINE!  The new Constitution did not go into effect until
NINE states had ratified it!  Would the secession of eleven states,
when there was a total of thirty-four, destroy the Union?  Thirty-four
minus eleven leaves twenty-three.  Did the Southern states destroy the
Union by seceding?  NO, they did not!

   The only effect the secession of eleven states had on the Federal
Government was that they had been paying over seventy percent of the
money collected by the Federal Treasury.  By seceding, they cut the
revenues of the Federal government by over 70%!  It was going to get
much worse!  The Morrell Tariff Act was passed in May, 1860.  It was a
tariff on agricultural machinery and equipment manufactured in European
countries.  It raised the 15% tariff to 37% and in three years it would
go to 47%. (4)  Most of the burden of this tariff would fall on the
agricultural South.  The Southern states had no desire to destroy the
Union - they just wanted out!  Most of all they wanted to be allowed to
"leave" and "live" in peace!  The nawthern Industrialists that put a
wealthy railroad attorney in the White House wanted WAR!  They knew
they could make millions of dollars and - - - they hated the South
because it was becoming stronger - financially and politically! The
Lincolnites perpetuated an outright lie by claiming the South had
destroyed the Union.  Lincoln never mentioned the money the South would
no longer pay to the Federal Treasury, he simply stated that the South
had destroyed the Union.  It was this claim that inspired many nawthern
men to enlist in the Union Army.  Their action was predicated on a LIE!

   The South started the War!  How many times have you heard that LIE?   
It is true that the South did fire the first shot!  But I ask "Why"? 
Soon after the Confederate Government was organized, three "Peace
Commissioners" were sent to Washington to negotiate a price for the
Post Offices, Armories, and other Federal properties located in
Southern States.  This was late in Buchanan's term.  He was terrified
by the talk of War and refused to not only see the Confederate Peace
Representatives, he did nothing during the last months of his term but
- hide.  Lincoln kept promising to give these three Peace Commissioners
an audience but instead, he was secretly planning to send
reinforcements to Fort Sumter and Fort Pickens which is in Pensacola
Bay.  An Armistice had been signed by representatives of the Federal
Government and South Carolina and Florida.  An Armistice is a
suspension of any acts of aggression between the signing parties.  But
- Lincoln could not operate his Government without Southern tax
dollars!   On December 12, 1860, seven weeks before his inauguration,
Lincoln initiated his plans to reinforce the garrisons at Fort Sumter
and Fort Pickens.  He had to create the idea that the South had started
the war.  On April 11, 1861 warships of the Union Reinforcement
Squadron were within site of Fort Sumter.  At 4:30 a. m. on the morning
of April 12, Confederate batteries began the bombardment of Fort
Sumter!  If you would like to learn more about these events, you can
read about them in "The Official Record of the Rebellion"! (5)

   Taxes, tariffs, states rights, slavery;  greed, corruption, ambition,
hatred;  the lust for riches, treasure, and money;  which, was the
primary cause of "The War"?  While all were factors leading to the War,
none was the primary reason the War was fought.  But, there is an
answer!  The nawth fought for the right to rule another section of the
country.  Their entire tax structure would collapse without Southern
tax dollars.  They MUST have the power to rule and collect those tax
dollars!  The South had no ambition to conquer other portions of the
country.  We only wanted to be allowed to "go in peace"!  Why did the
South fight?  Because we were invaded!  This story is as old as mankind
itself.  The power to rule and collect taxes has been the cause of all
wars in the history of this world.  We have nothing to apologize for: 
the South fought only because we were INVADED!

   Many years after the War an old Confederate Veteran stated "the South
was never whupped - they just plumb wore us out"!  Soon after Lincoln
was elected, feelings of Southern Patriotism, rage over paying high
taxes and tariffs, resentment of a dominant all controlling Federal
Government that was exceeding the powers given it by the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights, and just plain ole rebellion against "that"
authority assumed by "that" Government, elevated emotions to a fever
pitch all across the South.  The most popular topic of the day was
whether or not the nawth would invade the South and start a war.  A war
that would be fought over nothing, but the almighty dollar!

   Few Southerners stopped to consider the odds the South would face. 
The nawth had a well established government, an Army, a Navy,
tremendous manufacturing capabilities, and economic ties to the rest of
the world.  They had 71% of the population, all of the canals, most of
the improved roads, and 72% of the railroads, MOST OF WHICH had been
built with Southern tax dollars.  The nawth had 81% of the bank
deposits, and 85% of the factories. (6)  During the four long years of
war the nawth had 2,800,000 men in uniform while the South had at most
only 800,000. (7)  The South had two more assets that are purposefully
ignored.  The unconquerable fighting spirit of the South is
occasionally mentioned in nawthern books but you will never read about
the critical role the slaves and freemen of colour played during the
war!

   There are thousands of references in documents written during the War
that mention the role of Black Southerners.  Tens of thousands joined
the ranks of the Confederate soldiers and served as brave, determined,
warriors. (  Hundreds of thousands built fortifications and armaments
and millions stayed home to produce food and fiber to support the
Confederate Armies. (9)  At a time when most able-bodied young men were
away from home in the service of their country, there was never a slave
revolt in the South!  Without the contributions of the Black
Confederate Soldiers and Citizens, the War would not have lasted four
long years!

   The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves! (10)  Another
preposterous LIE!  In late 1862 the War was not going well for Lincoln!
  He was being bombarded by protesters and Copperheads.  Many
nawtherners did not want to fight his illegal War (only congress can
declare war) and were known as Copperheads!  Lincoln was constantly
being harassed by relatives of the hundreds of nawtherners he had
thrown in prison or had "Secreted Away" to never be heard of again. 
Also, England and France were considering giving recognition to the
Confederate States of America.  Their financial and military assistance
would have brought a swift end to Lincoln's illegal war!  Prior to
1860, England, France, and many other Nations had freed their slaves. 
None resorted to a "Civil War" to end slavery.  They paid slave owners
for "Their Property" and freed their slaves peacefully!  Had Lincoln
chosen to end slavery by purchasing all slaves and freeing them, he
would have spent less than half of what "The War" cost the United
States of America! (11)  No - slavery was not ended by the Emancipation
Proclamation but by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States of America!  It was ratified on December 6, 1865 and
became the law of the land! (12)  For all the good it did, it should be
called the Emaciated Proclamation.

   The Emaciated Proclamation had a very negative affect on many units in
the Union Army.  The 120th Ohio Voluntary Infantry was camped on a
levee near Arkansas Post when the news reached them.    Morale was at
an all time low as the soldiers coped with constant rain, mud, cold,
inactivity, and sometimes even hunger.  Many members of the Unit were
suffering from the usual camp diseases.  Most of these volunteers had
left home to "preserve the Union".  A great many were unwilling to
fight to end slavery and went "over the hill". (13)  Captain William H.
Davidson of the 17th Kentucky Infantry U. S. joined the Confederate
Army soon after the Emaciated Proclamation was announced. (14)  General
U. S. Grant never freed his own slaves NOR did the Emaciated
Proclamation free them!  The 13th Amendment freed them.  That was over
three years after the Gettysburg Address and eight months after the War
ended!

   Lincoln wrote the Proclamation during the Fall of 1862.  His war was
not going well.  He hoped to accomplish two objectives by writing it
but debated with himself for several months before issuing it.  First
was his desire to prevent England and France from providing assistance
to the Confederate States of America.  Second, he hoped the
Proclamation would start slave rebellions in the South.  He knew that
slave rebellions would empty the ranks of the Confederate Army!  If the
Emaciated Proclamation had freed the slaves, would Lincoln be justly
known as a great humanitarian.  Stories abound as to what his plans
were for the slaves after the War.  His comments in his 1st Inaugural
Address, many of his comments during the famous Lincoln/Douglas
Debates, and comments made by his law partner while Lincoln was a
wealthy attorney for the Illinois Central Railroad show that he had
little concern for the welfare of slaves and considered himself to be
much superior to black people.  Had he lived, would he have educated
them, trained them in a usable skill, and given them a way to earn an
honorable living?  Or, would he have deported them to island Nations in
the Caribbean, to South America, or back to Africa?  The answers will
always be "What Ifs"!  We can only speculate about what might have
happened.

   The South was rebuilt during the Reconstruction years!  That is
another absurd statement!  Those years should be called the
Re-destruction years.  They were little more than a peacetime
continuation of the devastation by rape, robbery, arson, greed, murder,
and hatred that characterized the the war years.  Carpetbaggers and
Scalawags took control of most State and local governments. (15)  Many
slaves enjoyed a few days or weeks of celebration when freed but they
soon discovered that the forty acres and the mule, promised by the
Federal Government, would never materialize.  Many hoped to move to
nawthern states and start a new life but they found little if any
opportunity and discovered that some nawthern states had enacted
legislation that prohibited black people from settling there. (16) 
Near starvation and lack of shelter caused many to return to their
previous masters and hire on as field hands or sharecroppers.

   For generations, many Southerners would not talk about "The War". 
They were most ashamed because they lost!  As a result, many people
today do not know if they have Confederate ancestors!  Many believe the
nawthern history books.  Because of that, they are ashamed of their own
history and heritage.  But - - - we are standing on the MORAL HIGH
GROUND!  In 1831 Charles Darwin set out on a five year voyage around
the world as a naturalist for the Crown of England.  A few years later,
he published his Theory of Evolution.  A decade later a German
philosopher, social scientist. and revolutionary named Karl Marx begin
writing essays and books touting his theories that man, not God, is the
highest being.  Both men had tremendous influence on the teachings in
many nawthern colleges and universities.  BUT - the people of "The
Bible Belt" have clung to their belief in the Constitution of the
United States of America, their faith in God, and their unwavering
belief that this Nation was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics.  These
beliefs are what make the South a location - NOT -  just a direction on
a map or a compass!

From My Heart In Dixie,
Ed Butler
931-544-2002          edbutlerscv@yahoo.com

(1)     The U. S. Constitution can be found in any set of
encyclopedias, in your local library,
   or on the internet.
(2)     The Declaration of Independence can be found in any set of
encyclopedias, in your
   local library or on the internet.
(3)      See U. S. Constitution.
(4)      Morrell Tariff Act of 1860.  Look in an old set of
encyclopedias, in your local library, or on the
    internet.  In the 1860's the Congressional Record was called the
Congressional Globe.  You will find
    many interesting truths recorded in the Globe.  The 36th Congress
(1861) passed four amendments to
    protect the Institution of Slavery in hopes of luring the South back
into the Union.  The records of
    several years prior to 1861 and after 1865 will also shed light on
"The Truth".
(5)      "The Official Record of the Rebellion"  Found in most larger
libraries.  Several companies sell
    electronic copies.  Check the internet.
(6)      "The World Book Encyclopedia"  1984 edition see "Civil War".
(7)      "Confederate Military History  A Library of Confederate States
History, In Twelve Volumes", Written
   by Distinguished Men of the South, and Edited by Gen. Clement A. Evans
of Georgia.
(      "Black Southerners In Confederate Armies" & "Black
Confederates" compiled and
   edited by C. K. Barrow, J. H. Segars, & R. B. Rosenburg
(9)      Hundreds of letters, diaries, books, & newspaper articles
written during "The War" tell of the work
    done by slaves in defense of their country.
(10)    Found in most encyclopedias and on the internet.
(11)    "The Real Lincoln"  by Thomas J. DiLorenzo,  "Lincoln Unmasked"
by Thomas J.
   DiLorenzo,  Three Rivers Press  & "The Real Lincoln" by Charles L. C.
Minor.  See Congressional Globe.
(12)   See U. S. Constitution.
(13)   "Grandpa's Gone   The Adventures of Daniel Buchwalter in the
Western Army   1862-1865"  by Jerry
             Frey, 1998   Burd Street Press
(14)   "Torn Asunder"  by Beth Chinn Harp,  Kinnersly Press
(15)  Letters, diaries, newspaper articles, books written soon after
"The War".  Also
            check the internet.  Be careful of what you read as many
internet articles tell what the author thought
            should have happened, not what happened!.
(16)   "The Real Lincoln" and "Lincoln Unmasked" by Thomas J. DiLorenzo
  Three Rivers Press

[Anmar]

Legally, the south may have had the right to secede, but any nation that was built on slavery shouldn't be able to claim the moral high ground.  The author spoke a lot about Jesus and the bible, but he didn't bother to mention the christian view on slavery.

Now i know that the priciple reason of the war was not slavery, i'm just pointing out that many southerners aren't the angles they portray themselves out to be.  And before any of you jump me, I'm a descendant of Jefferson Davis.

[redcliffsw]

Nobaody wants to be a slave. 
Are you a Christian or are you one those who is setting standards for
Christians?  What is the view of Christians on slavery?

By the way, there was slavery in the north too.  Most Southerners
did not own slaves.

Since you are a descendent of Jeff Davis, I'm thinking you could agree
with the beliefs of Jeff Davis and the founding fathers,.  Why not?

[Anmar]

As i mentioned, i believe in the right of secession for the southern states.  But as in life, things are never black and white.  The south wasn't perfect, the south didn't have the moral high ground, that is my argument.

I think the practice of slavery is universally considered an abomination, are you arguing in favor of slavery?

[redcliffsw]

Diane-

This webpage gives a short explanation of Confederate Memorial Day or you can Google to find more info:
http://georgiaheritagecouncil.org/site2/commentary/johnson-confederate-history-minute22.phtml

I wasn't trying to be personal and anybody can ask me whether I'm a Christisn or not?  Maybe you prefer not to
be asked if you are a Christian?

Yeah, good thinking about the bankruptcy and I would hope you would apply your same thinking about
slavery to the many present day situations too.  Afterall, if they should have declared bankruptcy in those days, why not these days too? 

Just keep in mind that the USA inherited the slavery from colonial days & Britain.  Keep in mind that slaves were
imported on ships under the flag of the United Sates of America and landed at northern ports.  Yankees profited much from slavery.

Racisim is a word that many use today but they fail to recognize the existence of the northern racism throughout the
history and today in the north.

Today, there are black folks who support the Southern stand that their ancestors made.  You won't learn about them
in the public (gov't) schools or see them on the evening news.

rc

 

[redcliffsw]

Anmar,

Hadn't we ought to repeal the 16th amendment on Federal tax??  Sure.

Therefore, I'm not in favor of slavery or keeping the 16th amendment; and
with that, there will be more freedon (and jobs too) in the USA.

[sixdogsmom]

Red, how would you have the military supported? How about food and drug? How about dept of Agriculture? How about the transportation infrastructure? How about some of your ideas, not just some pasted address for some far out dude who may or may not be making comments on the issues at hand?

[Catwoman]

I wasn't trying to be personal and anybody can ask me whether I'm a Christisn or not?  Maybe you prefer not to
be asked if you are a Christian?

rc

 

Whether or not you are a Christian is rather like how you wipe yourself when you go to the bathroom...It's nobody's business other than yours.  Most Kansans play their cards very close to the chest on their religion, political views and family recipes.  I think it goes back to the days when Kansas was on the line between the North and the South in the Civil War...No one was sure who was for whom...So no questions were asked and no explanations were given.  If there's anything that will get a Kansan's knickers in a bunch it is someone else telling them how they are supposed to think and feel.  Not a good thing to try to do in the land of Ahs!