What were Jefferson Davis and his cronies animated by? Just curious.
Their slavery-dependent incomes, primarily -- with a nice patina of fancy talk to rationalize their defense of a moral abomination.
It's not necessary to paint them as fully evil (as our neo-confederate friends are brainlessly wont to do with Mr. Lincoln) because they were not. They had many good qualities as well.
Mr. Davis and his cronies stand as powerful examples of something we all do from time to time: mistake our own comforts and desires for what is right. How often have we all angrily defended something that, deep-down, we know is wrong? I've done it -- perhaps you have, too.
This does not absolve Mr. Davis, et al, of guilt for attempting to propagate and protect an atrocity ... and their positions of power make their guilt all the greater. But it would be a mistake to think we're incapable of the same sorts of things.
Self government.