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To: jeffersondem; rockrr; EternalVigilance
jeffersondem: "The slave trade in particular was dominated by the northern maritime industry.
Rhode Island alone was responsible for half of all U.S. slave voyages."

Another ridiculous crock, totally out of context.
In 1776, slavery was lawful in all 13 colonies, but two soon abolished it immediately, and by 1787 four more started gradual abolition.
Still, there was no move in the 1787 Constitutional Convention to abolish slavery outright.

However, Founders did contemplate abolishing the international slave trade, and there were partial abolitions right away, with total abolition of US slave ships coming in 1807.

This had nothing to do with the nonsense you've quoted, and everything to do with the fact that it was the most that Northern abolitionists in 1787 could get their Southern colleagues to agree with.

Of course, it's true, after 1807 the entire US economy grew more and more to depend on export dollars generated by slave-produced cotton.
Yes, in that sense, all Americans were "addicted" to slavery.
And that hugely explains why before the 1850s there was no anti-slavery political party -- not the Federalists, not the Whigs, and certainly not the Democrats.

But in time, slowly, slowly, God's will regarding slavery became known to more and more Americans, and some began to speak out openly about it.
That produced a crisis of conscience which destroyed the old Whig party and gave birth to Republicans.

Those are the facts, short and simple.
So why would you wish to sully them with your hatred and distortions?

816 posted on 08/01/2015 6:09:26 PM PDT by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK

“But in time, slowly, slowly, God’s will regarding slavery became known to more and more Americans, and some began to speak out openly about it.”

But the South demurred. So the North decided to kill the Southerners.

The North could have used the peaceful constitutional amendment process that was available but they were in a hurry.

God’s will and all.


835 posted on 08/01/2015 9:27:33 PM PDT by jeffersondem
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