What Would Lincoln Do?

I almost feel sorry for these people. Almost.

I’m speaking of the righteous cause mythologists, people like Kevin Levin who think they are “bringing their A game” when attacking “Neo-Confederate Lost Causers.”

What would constitute Levin’s “A game”? Pointing out that there were pockets of Union sentiment in the South during the War.

No way! You got us, Levin. No one knows this!

Of course, what Levin leaves out is that there were more anti-Lincoln and anti-war people in the North than Unionists in the Confederacy.

When 75% of the white male population of the South is in the army, and the population is enduring deprivations unseen since the American War for Independence–and they keep fighting–that is dedication.

You can’t say the same for the North. At least 45% of the Northern voting population opposed Lincoln and the Republicans in 1864. Democrats picked up 27 seats in the House in 1862 (they did lose many of these seats in 1864), but there are some serious questions about voter fraud in the ’64 election, and not in favor of the Democrats.

We know the Republicans intimidated voters in border States like Delaware.

This doesn’t take into account the large numbers of Union soldiers who signed up for a paycheck.

Take this patriotic Union soldier in 1862, for example, trying to persuade his buddy to join the “cause”:

“If you woud a went with me, I think you woud see more then you wood by staing at home, and wood have plenty to eat and to wear, and plenty of foun in the camp, and git 13 dolers a month, and won’t haf to dow enny thing.”

Food, clothes, fun, and cash with no work! Sounds like welfare.

Unfortunately, the poor sap took his friend up on the deal. He died in Mississippi from dysentery.

Don’t forget rich Northerners who bought immigrant substitutes for $300. And we know the real reason black soldiers were sent to the front lines in the War. White Northerners were tired of getting blown apart. Blacks were expendable cannon fodder.

$13 bucks a month doesn’t sound so good when the payoff could be an evisceration by a cannon ball.

Levin’s blabbering about the futility of secession is sophomoric at best and just plain stupid at worst.

But of course he makes great podcast material.

I discuss Levin and his recent article on secession on Episode 618 of The Brion McClanahan Show.