View single post by TAD99
 Posted: Tue Dec 25th, 2012 08:10 pm
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TAD99
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Mana: 
 That's the point.  From the beginning we had, for lack of a better description, two countries under one government.  Much like the problems with today's policy, the argument of State's rights/rule vs. a central government have gone on from the beginning of this country and before.

The industrialized north had the desire and interest in business in the south.  The south however had little interest in the business up north.  They operated more on the "Good Old Boy" style of business and therefore excluded many people/businesses they didn't know.  Case in point, William Driver (person of Old Glory fame) was a partner in his brothers (Stephen) shoe business.  They decided there was a business opportunity in Nashville so Stephen left and opened up a shop down there.  Business was very bad so William followed and worked as a silent partner.  The business ultimately failed and William spent the rest of his life living off savings and died there in Nashville.  This example is just one of many examples of the problems between the two business communities.

As the friction between the two regions increased and the south increasing turned to Europe to sell its goods, their politics and beliefs on politics split even more.  Enter Lincoln and his close companions.  One a banker from Chicago, one a real estate man and the other who delt in business investments.  One wanted an opportunity to deal in land transactions in the South, another wanted more opportunities for his bank and the third wanted, along with other reasons, to free the slaves.  The problem was that he just wanted them free so they could be sent back to Africa.

Doubt this theory?  Look at history.  Carpet baggers and bankers over ran the south after the war.  Now Sherman and his activities had an alternate mission; destroy as many of the southern land ownership records as possible.  Yes he was a master at what he did but did you ever wonder why so many towns and homes were destroyed?

War may be hell but what Sherman did was not acceptable.  If Lee had sponsored that kind of action in the north we would have a whole different  view of their actions.