The North (well, congress) tried to buy out the South (well, slaveowners). The South rejected it. There were actually mulitple attempts at this, some before the war, some during the war.
I did not know that, though I am not greatly surprised. Do you have a source where I can learn more?
Unfortunately failed attempts are written about much less than successful ones, so I have not found in-depth discussions on the net about “compensated emancipation” in the U.S., though that’s the term to search for. I have found a few references to specific attempts though.
Yeah, I have a bad? habit of editing my responses as I think more about them. I try not to substantially alter them after people respond, but I missed this time.
I would say generally bad, but it did not really bother me this time, because it was easy for me to edit my own repsonse to fit. And you still answered my question.
I did not know that, though I am not greatly surprised. Do you have a source where I can learn more?
About which assertions?
Unfortunately failed attempts are written about much less than successful ones, so I have not found in-depth discussions on the net about “compensated emancipation” in the U.S., though that’s the term to search for. I have found a few references to specific attempts though.
http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=8&subjectID=2 lists an attempt in 1847 (unclear what territory it covered—may have only been Pennsylvania) and one submitted by Lincoln in 1849 (limited to DC). Neither succeeded.
http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=35&subjectID=3 covers some of the actions during the war.
For slavery being the only real cause of the civil war, well, to me it’s pretty clear that without slavery there wouldn’t have been a civil war, and that no change that didn’t also eliminate slavery would have eliminated the civil war, though some may have delayed it. There are two nice blog posts more or less on that topic: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/the-ghost-of-bobby-lee/38813/ and http://volokh.com/posts/1218531359.shtml
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/4/13/856804/-To-Those-Clueless-Wingnuts-Who-Claim-That-SLAVERY-was-NOT-the-Main-Cause-of-the-CIVIL-WAR… has a nice selection of the actual declarations of secession. More can be found with a bit of searching, e.g. http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/reasons.html
I’ll try to add a bit more later.
Your comment was simpler when I responded. I have edited my response to quote the part I was responding to.
I think your first two links address my question, though I will have to look at them in more detail.
Yeah, I have a bad? habit of editing my responses as I think more about them. I try not to substantially alter them after people respond, but I missed this time.
I would say generally bad, but it did not really bother me this time, because it was easy for me to edit my own repsonse to fit. And you still answered my question.