Unit 6 Essay The Coming of the Civil War
Zyria Edwards
Hist 2111
December 7, 2019
Unit 6 Essay: The Coming of the Civil War
Preston’s addressed focused on the reasons why South Carolina felt it was time for them to secede from the Union mentioning that the North had committed heinous crimes against the south. His addressed also mentioned how the South and the North were different entities. Preston mentioned that the North had abused the south for long enough and cited this idea as a portrayal of Virginia’s connection to the south through the problem all states from the South encountered from Northern politics. He emphasized that Virginia once had power and prestige and there still was a huge possibility for this to be reclaimed. Preston also focused on the difference between the North and the South based on their ideas on politics and economy. Because the North could do without slaves and Virginia could not. Preston stated that it shared a lot with the South and used that to try and convince Virginia to join the South. His address stated that war was inevitable and wanted Virginia to align with the South once the battle began (Smith 3).
Preston cited various specific reasons for the South to Secede. One was that the Federal legislature was manipulated to shut out the interest of the Slave States significantly being the decree to shut out any territories that were not decreed Free States from joining the Union. He also said that the non-slaveholding states did not just disrespect the constitution by not enforcing the laws provided and protected by it, they enacted others to ensure that these laws were not executed. Even the simplest provisions of the constitution that protect slave owners and their property have been made a criminal offense to the extent that citizens of Slave-Holding States have been met with hostility and in most cases resulting in murder (Smith 1). Another reason for the concerns of the Slave States about the Union was that citizens from free states were invading the salve states and violating their rights in their own turf and no action was taken. The Free States even appeared to applaud these types of actions (Smith 2).
Although Abraham Lincoln termed the secession illegal, the states had the right to secede according to the provisions of the Tenth Amendment. The Union did not the right to secede and the issue was not prohibited to the states by the constitution, which left it as a reservation to the states and the people in general. However, according to Abraham Lincoln, the Constitution was an agreement between the states and seceding from the Union was an act that would undermine this agreement. This was not an argument that would have rendered secession breaking the law because there was no such provision and the liberty was left to the states because of that.
Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address might be supposed to have been an attempt to put the South at ease and avoid secession (Lincoln 1). In the address, he directly goes to talk to the Southern States or the Slave States for that matter and reassures them that although he was a Republican he had no interest in taking away their slave ownership rights (although he uses property rights) or their peace. He mentions that he did not intend to end the Fugitive Slave Act. He reassures that his government is focused on protecting the rights provided in the constitution, including the Fugitive Slave Act. He mentions that the difference as to whether the state or the government should enforce this Act was not a reason for the South to Panic.
President Lincoln asserts that breaking up the states was not legal because they were held together by the constitution. The only way they could do that was if the States wanted to break the contract they agreed on during the signing of the constitution. He made it clear that the North was not ready to have the South violate the contract that was the constitution by seceding from the Union. He also talked about the issue of slaves moving to territories that were not yet states which was a huge concern for the Slave States because they knew there was a high probability for these territories to be free states once they gained the status. These would mean that the Free States would outnumber the Slave States in Congress. President Lincoln went on to assure them that States from either side would come to a compromise through the support of the Supreme Court to accommodate the interest of the few Slave States.
President Lincoln outlines his duties as provided by the constitution. According to how perceives the constitution, the laws of the Union are not to be broken and it is his mandate to ensure that these laws are executed devotedly in every state. “…and to the extent of my ability, I shall take care, as the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the States” (Lincoln 2). He says that these are the duties bestowed upon him by the citizens of the United States and would only relent if the electoral decided otherwise or bestowed upon him different duties or altered the ones in existence. As the president, Abraham had the power to “hold, occupy and possess” every bit that belonged to the government and “to collect duties and imposts” (2). He promises to not use force unless it is for the reasons of protecting the interests of the Union in a manner that is stated above.
