There were, however, a few significant changes. In fact, with just a handful of alterations the delegates fundamentally transformed the character of the document and signaled the strikingly different purposes of their new national government they would erect on its foundation. In crafting their own Constitution, Confederate politicians made the most of their long-awaited opportunity to perfect, in their eyes, the original document. They purged the text of all of the ambivalences, compromises and hedges about slavery, representation and the power of the federal government that had plagued the republic since the founding.
Whatever revisionist stories Davis tried to spin after the war, the delegates in Montgomery set out to make something that had, in fact, never existed before: an explicitly proslavery constitution for an explicitly proslavery — and anti-democratic — country.
To view an annotated copy of the Confederate Constitution, click here.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Rebel Constitution
Today's Disunion column, "The Rebel Constitution," is by Stephanie McCurry, author of Confederate Reckoning (2010 - Harvard University Press). I have written here before about this study of the CSA's constitution, a study of the CSA's constitution, its at the top declaration that the CSA was made for white men, and white men only, and how the Confederacy massively failed, then, the women and children it chivalrously promised to support and protect:
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2 comments:
Very interesting. There still are people who argue the civil war was about "states' rights." Yes, the right of states to have slaves!
How have you been? I'm heading to New Orleans next month for a few days. Any recommendations on where to stay, what to eat, and what to see? :)
Ha! el V's going April 7th for a long weekend, to do some event with? at? (which hasn't been clarified yet) the Community Book Center, and some academic presentations.
We haven't been there since last summer, well, he was there again early last fall, but not since, the longest period ever without being there. So what's up is really kind of up in the air right now. One thing though, is much of the music is still on Frenchman's Street!
What you want to do is check The Gambit, which is the weekly, with all the listings: http://www.bestofneworleans.com/
And for sure tune into WWOZ, which you can get streaming too: http://www.wwoz.org/ for their hourly Music Calendar.
Whatever, you'll have a great time. Just don't expect anything real from the Quarter other than the authentic alcoholic and other excess deeply indulged by all the tourists.
In the meantime it's spring break very soon, and we're about to take off on a series of day-trips for field research here in MD and VA, and then, down into South Carolina. We've been researching and writing our asses off -- or on, perhaps more accurately, considering how much ass to chair time is involved with researching and writing a book!
Love, C.
Love, C.
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