When in the Course of Human Events: Arguing the Case for Southern Secession

Do you want to know what Lincoln’s War was fought over? Money, plain and simple. This is one of the most comprehensive books on the causes of that war, that I have ever read.

Too many fail to realize that the secession-crisis was far older than the slavery-debacle, going back to 1832 regarding the Nullification-crisis-- whereby President Jackson claimed that the federal government held supreme national authority over the states, even though the Founders and Framers-- particularly Madison and Jefferson-- claimed that the states were individually sovereign in being able to nullify federal law and/or secede from the union entirely. This issue was over tarriffs on imports such as Whiskey and sugar-- not slavery, and eventually grew into the Civil War when nullification became secession. While slavery was listed as a cause of secession by some states, this was not a protest of a federal act, so much a protest of northern states' violating Constitutional fugitive-slave agreements, by using THEIR sovereign power to nullify these laws, and refusing to comply with them by sending slaves back; some southern states seceded over this contractual breach by other states. Secession only became war, because the federal government declared it illegal; the South did not WANT war, but would not give up their claim to sovereignty without a fight. Therefore the war was not over tariffs or slaves, but the right of secession; the union invaded to prevent that, not to free slaves or collect tariffs! Adams is wrong, however, that "secession's legality should have been determined by the courts;" for unilateral secession could be justified only by state sovereignty-- and federal courts cannot HAVE jurisdiction over a sovereign state, only a subordinate one. Therefore by this argument, Adams harms his own premise, since this implies that the states were subordinate, not sovereign-- and thus had NO inherent right of secession.

The winners write the history...It is a well known maxim that the 'the winners write the history'. This does not apply to the Adams book. He correctly identifies that the very high tarrifs where the cause of the war. He also points out various comments by Lincoln on slavery and that the issue did not appear in the North until the THRID YEAR of the war when support for it was lagging. The reviewers who panned the book are victims of the history that was written by the Northern winners. I claim the the republic defined by the founders died at Bull Run. There is evidence that the New England states considered secession twice prior to the war of Northern agression. When they did so, NO ONE argued that secession was unthinkable. The South was no military threat to the North; they simply wanted to be left alone to go their own way. It was Lincoln's obsession that the big federal government sought by the Hamilton branch of the founders had to be preserved that led to the war. The small government - in the vein of the Jefferson branch of the founders - suffered its first blow at Bull Run, and was finished off by Wilson and FDR. NOTE: A 'civil war' is one between two factions striving to control a country. This was NOT the case with the War of Northern Agression. The South wanted the right to a government of their choice guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. FURTHER NOTE: I am an EX-yankee who has seen the light.

I'm 50 years old, and since I was a teenager, I've been trying to discover the real reason for the 'Civil War'. Many answers I was given were either just plain wrong, or they didn't make any common sense. Why would so many Americans leave home and family and sacrifice life and limb? For slavery? No, I don't think so - and this is bore out under close scrutiny of events and newspaper editorials of that day and time. Is the reason complicated? No, it isn't, but discovering it is. The reason was TAXES! Isn't that why there was an American Revolution (which was basically a secession from British rule?)The auther, Mr. Adams, is the world's leading scholar on the history of taxation, AND he is a northerner to boot! It seems the British writer John Mill is the one who provided the North with a convenient 'excuse' for an UNJUST war, and that excuse was slavery. Charles Dickens said this wasn't the reason, and the real record agrees with him.Southern planters had to sell their cotton to England, and they usually received payment for this cotton in like valued manufactured goods. However, when they brought these European goods back to the US, the Federal government charged them a 20-30% import tariff! So, $100 worth of cotton yeilded them $70-$80. Then, to make matters worse, this tax (which the South was paying the most of) was used by the Northern controlled congress to lavishly subsidize NORTHERN industry - even including the northern fishing industry! I suppose not very many people realize (and for sure were never taught) that New York threatened to secede from the Union after the passage of the Morrill Tariff in 3/1861? They threatened to secede so that they would not have to levy the 50% tax that this act required, and so they could establish a 'free port' free from Federal mandated import taxes. This was exactly what the Southern states did do! New York didn't because Lincoln gave them a war instead. READ THIS BOOK! OPEN YOUR EYES! Read the the raping of our constitution by Lincoln and why our constitution today is NOTHING like the one our forefathers intended!

This is that book.I'm an Army veteran. My history classes were immersed in the depths of Lincoln worship. I knew the reason for the Civil War: Abolition of slavery...I would not be easily swayed.Until I read this book.Before my reaction, a brief note on the style: This book has excellent primary source documentation. It draws not only from Antebellum but Reconstructionist writings. Not just North, but also South. Not just U.S., but also foreign. Not just political, but military and civilian as well. This is a well-rounded historical presentation of the events surrounding the Civil War.More on technique: The bad stuff. The only negative criticism that I have is that not all subordinate assertions are documented. The major themes are well presented and end-noted, but arguments supporting those major themes are not well established. That's it. That was the only bad thing I have to say.Well not really. I have a lot of bad stuff to say about Lincoln's misbehavior, lack of military ethic, civilian atrocities, theft of personal property, imprisonment of the political opposition in the North, fixed elections, disallowance of Free Speech, constitutional negation (the trampling of all Amendments), invasion of a foreign country, forfeiting State's "sovereign right" to govern themselves, suspension of due legal process and ethnic cleansing.Lincoln even tried to arrest the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for publishing an opinion that demonstrated Lincoln was in error for suspending the right to trial.Lincoln forced the South into their situation. For what purpose? As Charles Adams demonstrates, it was for not for the preservation of the Union, but the preservation of the Northern economy (which would not exist if the South were a foreign nation).If you presently disagree with this summary of only a few of Adams' points, please do get this title. Check his end-notes for accuracy. Whateve you have to do, but do read this book!

First, I am a Southerner. I state this fact as a warning that my review may be a bit skewed. As most Americans, I was taught one version of the Civil War....the version of the victors. And it is not unusual that the victors wrote our history. Over the years, I have further researched my heritage and learned that many things I was taught in mainstream America were questionable. Certainly, I am ashamed of the history of the South with regard to slavery, but Charles Adams book clearly and thoughtfully sheds a true light on the causes and motivations of the worst war in this country's history. This is a must read for any Southerner; it may offer some vindication. But, more important, this is a book for ALL Americans. Jeff Dantre', Peabody Award Winning Producer and Journalist.