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Subject: Question about antebellum South
BasinBictory    6/10/2007 10:47:38 AM
Was in an argument on another board about whether the Southern state governments had any kind of legislation in the works for an eventual end to slavery. I argued that even though there were probably several anti-slavery groups in the South prior to the war, few of them had any kind of real influence or political power, and the power structure of the South, which of course included the wealthy plantation owners, who benefitted the most from slavery and who would be the most hurt by ending it, would vehemently oppose any kind of plan to free the slaves, gradual or otherwise. The other party claimed otherwise, that the South was in fact going to free the slaves eventually, but they recognized that a wholesale freeing of all slaves, all at once, would have severe economic and societal impacts, not just in the South, but in the North as well, and the Abolitionists only served to fan flames that were best left to a slow burn. I've searched the INternet for any articles stating that ANY Southern state was planning this, but came up empty. Maybe some of our more learned Civil War scholars can shed light on this?
 
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PowerPointRanger    Sources   9/12/2007 8:09:02 PM
While I have found several sites that make the arguement that the South freed or was about to free its slaves during the Civil War, few offer any meaningful documentation or support and none that I have found could be considered authoritative or credible.
 
I did find a book called: "Confederate Emancipation" by Bruce Levine, which the Washingtong Post reviewed favorably.  I have not seen the book, but according to th review it found that the Confederacy in March, 1865 passed a law permitting the use of slaves as troops.  It found that about 200 black troops served in Virginia, but some did so as a means to run away to Union lines.  It found no evidence of meaningful participation in combat by these troops.
 
Although this law did not discuss emancipation, this event seems to be the basis for most claims of Confederate emancipation.  It is clear however that the South was at least debating the possibility as a last desperate measure.  As for the use of black troops, slaves were used for support activities that in the Union would probably have been performed by soldiers, but as they were not trained, uniformed, or armed, one could hardly consider them soldiers (not even conscripts).
 
Let's face it, even after 142 years, the Civil War still evokes strong emotions, which does not always make for a rational debate.
 
 
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Carl S       9/16/2007 4:10:37 PM
The documentation on this is buried in old letters, newspapers, court records, and legislative records of the states.  The lack of post war research & analysis is akin to the pockets of antisucessionist groups in the South.  They were there, but other than the splitting of Virginia are now almost unknown.  

One clue for starting research on both subjects, & I suspect they are related, would be records of Union Army recruitment in the South.  Such a thing is adamantly denied now, but the Federal Army records show otherwise.  The pockets of pro Federal counties providing recruits for the Federal Army are a little understood phenonenon of the war. 

The appoligists for slavery seem to have been well connected to the cotton industry.  Again the evidence is buried but its another line of inquiry worth investigating, even if only to disprove it.  The US cotton industry had a valuable hold on the quality end of supply, but the British/European cloth manufactors were naturally looking for cheaper sources of high quality cotton.  The US growers feared any change in their economics would severely disrupt their cash flow.  This concern led to other tensions over tarrifs, banking policy,  and immigration of cheap labor.
 
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