[FN] U.S. Slavery/War Between the States/natve slavery

[Charles E. Yow]

As a matter of clarification, slave labor was not "free labor", slave labor
was extremely expensive.  When people refer to the "racist South" such a
statement overlooks the issues and realities of agrarian economic systems of
the South and the industrial economies of the North.   The North was never a
truly agrarian economy as was the South, in large part due to the
inhospitable of the Northern climate, as a result the North was always more
industrial based, and for more than 100 years before the War was heavily
industrialized.

When the Irish Canal in New Orleans was dug it was dug with Irish immigrant
labor because the job was too difficult and costly in lives to risk the loss
of slaves.  In the same light the reason the North moved from slave labor in
their mills and other industrial facilities and entities was based solely on
the availability of less expensive new immigrate labor, the slaves that were
replaced by new less expensive immigrant labor were sold to other interest,
both in and outside the U.S.  Again I refer back to Karl Marx's comments.

The members of the Five Civilized Tribes that fought for the South did so
not for racist reasons, but for their rights and for what they felt was
right.  I could go on for reams and reams of paper about the racist North
and the myths concerning the South, suffice it to say having grown up in the
South, the racism I have seen in the North makes any racism I have ever seen
in the South appear miniscule, the North is not just racist they are
professional racists.

Charles


----- Original Message -----
From: "*Noquisi* (Day Starr)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2000 2:39 PM
Subject: Re: [FN] U.S. Slavery/War Between the States/natve slavery


Of course in the capitalist society, making a buck is always the primary
motivation
to send folks to fight and die. One connection to slavery was if future
states
(future land stolen from our people and called 'states') were admitted into
the
United States as "slave states" it would compete with the newly
industrialized North
who would have to pay their workers while slave states would have free
workers.
There were larger tarriff issues, and all kinds of things -- that affected
White
workers. I mentioned the slavery issue since the Cherokees had the
experience of
being captured by Whites and sold into slavery in the Caribbean, and yet
some of us
still owned Black slaves (who were also forced to walk along the Trail of
Tears).
And unlike some Native Nations who were forced into taking a side in the
Civil War,
Nations who truly wanted to remain uninvolved; we had others who had
identified so
completely with the racist White south that they actively supported the
"Cause".

But I agree with your interpretation, and that it was not fought over
slavery for
it's inhumanity as is told now.

*Noquisi*


"Charles E. Yow" wrote:

> For those who believe the popular myth that the War Between the States was
> fought over slavery, understand it was not.  The War Between the States
was
> fought over States Rights, largest issues were tariff and other tax
related
> issues, not slavery, this is strongly supported by period documents,
slavery
> might have been an issue, but it was not the issue.  At this point in time
> history has been distorted to appear the War was fought over slavery, the
> truth however remains the North had little concern regarding slaves.
<snip>
>
> The tendency to overlook the issue of native slavery is a convenient
attempt
> to push native issues farther into the corner by overlooking the
viciousness
> of colonialization.  To lose the use of lands of ones ancestors is a
> terrible thing, but to be uprooted, deprived of freedom, family, culture
and
> society and sold into slavery is the cruelest of practices.
>
> Charles Yow, Sr.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
>

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