Opinion: DAMNYANKEE… With malice toward all and charity for none

When I was a  young boy  growing up on Oakley, an historic plantation in Virginia, I learned dam  Yankee  was one word and referred  to northerners who  invaded the South and occupied  for 12 years.. The War was over but there was respect for the leaders and fallen on both sides in that great conflict. About two decades ago the narratives began to change and the history rewritten to conform with the woke progressive  agenda; Southerners were demonized and their memorials disparaged and now vandalized and torn down; the 1619 Project, cancel culture, and Critical  Race Theory became the new standard of learning of the progressive woke.

Today, we are told a revisionist fabrication of the Cause of the War and the conduct of it.  My purpose here is, to paraphrase Washington, to take the pains to bring  to light the truth. Inter alia:

The Cause of the Southern states was as in the Declaration of Independence and provided for in the compact for federation in the Constitution….secession. Period. The cause of the Northern states was sectional domination, greed, and to fundamentally  change the Constitution to a more centralized federal governance. Period.

The War was not begun because of the institution of slavery or any other moral construct of  the  North. The issue of whether new territories would be admitted as slave or free was an issue because of the consequence on balance of power in Congress for dominance of sectional interests.

The War did not begin with South Carolina firing on Ft. Sumpter. Prior to Lincoln  assuming office,  South Carolina and Florida s had an agreement with President Buchannan  that he would not reinforce or resupply Federal forts at  Charleston, South Carolina  and Pensacola, Florida.. The South did not want war but peaceful resolution.  Upon assuming office, Lincoln ordered Fort Sumpter in Charleston, South Carolina, and ort Pickens in  in Pensacola, Florida,  be reinforced and resupplied in deliberate violation of the agreement.

Clearly Lincoln’s action was an act of war or intent. The shots fired on Fort Sumpter were to prevent the reinforcement and resupply. In fact, s before the shots were fired on Fort Sumpter, Union troops had begun to reinforce and resupply Fort Pickens;  thus it was Lincoln who  initiated the first act of war.  Also, the commander of Fort Sumpter, General Winfried Scott, Lincoln’s  Commanding officer, and other cabinet members warned Lincoln his actions would precipitate war. His intent was war and excuse to call up 75,000 troops to invade. Thus Lincoln started the hostilities.

Neither  Jefferson Davis or Lee was ever tried for treason, secession, rebellion, or any other crime. After the war, a committee of uncompensated  Northern lawyers was tasked to determine if Davis should be charged. They reported they could find nothing for which he could be charged…not rebellion…not treason,… nor any war crimes.. After several attempts to charge and bring Davis to trial,  prosecutors approached Davis’ s attorneys   with an offer to pardon him if he would promise to never request there be a trial. Davis agreed and he was pardoned.

It is often said by woke progressives that Lee was a traitor. This is not and can not be true. In ratification of the Constitution,  Virginia expressly stipulated the caveat that it had the right to secede. Lee was a citizen of Virginia and he followed that loyalty after resigning his commission by the Union.. 

The great fear of the North was that, if there was a trial, Davis  would or could be acquitted of any wrong doing. By trial  all that Lincoln and his high command had done would be brought to light; from violation of the Constitution and oath of office to war crimes.

At Lincoln’s second inaugural  he spoke to need for  malice toward none  and charity for all… two weeks before,  Sherman had completely destroyed Columbia, South Carolina, then inhabited by defenseless  women, children, sick and  feeble. Graves were dug up looking  for treasure and remains scattered  all about… going forward with 123 wagons of loot taken from the conquered defenseless non-combatants.

Honest Abe, he was called,  much the same as the biggest bully on the block is called  Tiny Tim. .. and  the Great Emancipator who sold the slaves he inherited rather than emancipate.

Damnyankees had malice toward all in the South and charity to none. Res Publica, Ex Fide Fortis.