Philip Reid was one of the last of hundreds of slaves involved in the building of the Capitol. The slaves worked in quarries in VA. At the Capitol the slaves cut and placed stones among other labor intensive tasks. Reid actually cast the statue. As a result of DC's Emancipation Act, Reid and the other slaves actually working on the Capitol building were no longer slaves (the slaves working in VA would be another matter)
"Half the workforce at the Capitol building site was such slaves. Shortly after he completed this mission, the District of Columbia issued its Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery within the Capital City and Philip Reid was no longer a slave."
Philip Reid was one of the last of hundreds of slaves involved in the building of the Capitol. The slaves worked in quarries in VA. At the Capitol the slaves cut and placed stones among other labor intensive tasks. Reid actually cast the statue. As a result of DC's Emancipation Act, Reid and the other slaves actually working on the Capitol building were no longer slaves (the slaves working in VA would be another matter)
"Half the workforce at the Capitol building site was such slaves. Shortly after he completed this mission, the District of Columbia issued its Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery within the Capital City and Philip Reid was no longer a slave."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Reid
Great post! Thank you for verifying the construction of the Yank Capital in Washington by African slaves during the WBTS (Civil War). However, you forgot to place the date of the DC Emancipation Act >> April, 1862. As you know, Lincoln was a great politician. I think his move in 1862 ( many battlefield deaths to free the slaves 61-62) with the DC Act headed off loads of embassrassment with his major political move the Emancipation Proclamation, soon to appear. Lincoln had to justify his war and slavery was as good as any. Further, the slaves did work in the Virginia quarries (closest quarry, and only practical), but many worked on the property of the slaves owner, I think his name was Mills? This property was within the DC border. Research continues to show even after the "DC Act" many workers in the DC area on government buildings and other task were unpaid slaves. BTW, in this same time period, Philidelphia had many of the same class of "unpaid servants." Thanks, again, good research. The beautiful monument perched on top of the Capital is a wondrous work of Italian art, and transporting the monument is much different than casting.
Respectfully,
Artemus
Last edited by Artemus; 10-12-2009 at 06:28 AM.
Reason: addition
[quote=Artemus;1869]Great post! Thank you for verifying the construction of the Yank Capital in Washington by African slaves during the WBTS (Civil War). However, you forgot to place the date of the DC Emancipation Act >> April, 1862. As you know, Lincoln was a great politician. I think his move in 1862 ( many battlefield deaths to free the slaves 61-62) with the DC Act headed off loads of embassrassment with his major political move the Emancipation Proclamation, soon to appear. Lincoln had to justify his war and slavery was as good as any. Further, the slaves did work in the Virginia quarries (closest quarry, and only practical), but many worked on the property of the slaves owner, I think his name was Mills? This property was within the DC border. Research continues to show even after the "DC Act" many workers in the DC area on government buildings and other task were unpaid slaves. BTW, in this same time period, Philidelphia had many of the same class of "unpaid servants." Thanks, again, good research. The beautiful monument perched on top of the Capital is a wondrous work of Italian art, and transporting the monument is much different than casting.
Respectfully,
Artemus
I must admit to the knowledge that slavery was indeed "an issue" for the Southern Confederacy, but only (1) one of many, the major concern for the Confederacy was the "Doctrine of States Rights" or the preservation of our inspired American Constitution. The Confederate Army is the only American Army fielded for the sole purpose of defending the American Constitution. I feel the terrible abuse of our Constitution today is the result of the Southern Army's surrender. However, slavery was not a concern for the Northern states supporting Lincoln until the war was well advanced. The bottom line: Lincoln and his army of blue did not war to free the slaves. With the realization of this fact ~~~Why did Lincoln go to war?
Hi , I was looking through the discussion on this subject, and I was sorry to see that the discussion was getting a little too 'mean'.
I you would like to talk about this go and see what The General says about it on CWDG Online. This board (Civilwar.com) is like almost dead anyway.
The issues of "Cause and Slavery" and the many known old and used untruths used by the moral yank will almost always be mean. I certainly apoligize if my post are the "mean ones." The yank propaganda on this subject was and is magnificient! Goebbels the high echelon Nazi studied intensely this particular work of untruthful propaganda art, and called it pure genius.
BTW ~~ This "General" in which you refer, is this a Confederate or Yank general officer? All the pictures I have seen here kinda give me the impression the "General" may be yank. For example, a black union officer, Grant and his drinking buddies, only federal flags with Rebs running, Etc.
Last edited by Artemus; 10-12-2009 at 12:43 PM.
Reason: addition
Several Union states kept slavery after it was abolished in the Confederacy.
Yep, and many "Union" states made laws prohibiting black people from entering their state. Did they learn this racial hatred at their Lincoln alter? Sad.
Several Union states kept slavery after it was abolished in the Confederacy.
Greetings 1st Sergeant, It appears when "truth" surfaces these Yankees run away. Some issues never change, they ran with our Confederate ancestors too.
There were very few individuals who fought for the goal of preserving or abolishing slavery, most fought to establish the Confederacy as an independent nation, or to preserve the Union. However slavery was the cause of the war, as to quote Bruce Catton, one of the most informed, thorough, and objective Civil War historians, "if there had been no slaves, there would have been no war." But many Confederate military and political leaders, including Jeff Davis was known to state that slavery was the core issue of the war, and that the southern way of life depended on slavery. All the argued points that led up to war can be traced back to the argument of slavery, even and foremost the argument of states rights. The states right most concerned was the state's right to be a free state or the right to determine that some men had the right to own human chattel while others had the right to be slaves. In fact the Confederate Constitution forbade any legislation which may intefere with the institution of slavery.
Lincoln himself was an adamnant hater of slavery, but was not an abolitionist as he saw no legal or consitutional way to end slavery, but the war gave him the authority to end slavery as a military neccesity in the absence of a legal means.
"if there had been no slaves, there would have been no war."
Pure conjecture. Had there never been an African or any other race of slave on the North American Continent the basic economic/political equation would have remained the same.
Wars are fought to decide who will control the wealth. the WBTS was no differant.
That aside though you are equating secession and war. They are entirely different. You may at least make a somewhat plausible argument that the first seven states to secede did so to protect slavery (and EVEN THAT would be an over simplification) but the cause of the war?
Very simply the war came about because ole abe chose to start one.
There were very few individuals who fought for the goal of preserving or abolishing slavery, most fought to establish the Confederacy as an independent nation, or to preserve the Union. However slavery was the cause of the war, as to quote Bruce Catton, one of the most informed, thorough, and objective Civil War historians, "if there had been no slaves, there would have been no war." But many Confederate military and political leaders, including Jeff Davis was known to state that slavery was the core issue of the war, and that the southern way of life depended on slavery. All the argued points that led up to war can be traced back to the argument of slavery, even and foremost the argument of states rights. The states right most concerned was the state's right to be a free state or the right to determine that some men had the right to own human chattel while others had the right to be slaves. In fact the Confederate Constitution forbade any legislation which may intefere with the institution of slavery.
Lincoln himself was an adamnant hater of slavery, but was not an abolitionist as he saw no legal or consitutional way to end slavery, but the war gave him the authority to end slavery as a military neccesity in the absence of a legal means.
This post is spot on. All the other reasons outside of slavery expedited and exacerbated the war; they provided more rationalization for initiating. Issues like states rights were important to be sure but they would not have been the issue they were without the slavery issue behind them. I particularly like the case McPherson makes in "Battle Cry of Freedom"
Furthermore, the war was started when Sumter was attacked as the Union tried to fortify it after the south started seizing Federal holdings upon secession. Lincoln strategy was to set it so the north didn't fire the first shot and it worked.
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