HIST 201-G

Dr. Fucker

Essay #2

Peter Griffith
Spring 2014

The dispute over slave ownership between the Northern and Southern states of the Union
in 1860 prompted a brutal Civil War, spurred on by tensions that had been brewing for years.
With high production of goods that require manual labor proliferating the Southern states, they
absolutely fought with any reasoning for their rights to own slaves, even though many of their
arguments contradicted themselves. This essay will discuss some of the arguments provided for
the secession of the South from the Union by Joseph Brown of Georgia while referencing the
Declaration of the Causes of Secession and the Constitution of the Confederacy.
Joseph Brown believed that the South will be in utter ruin in less than twenty-five years.
Joseph Brown made some very valid points in his arguments on the secession movement. He was
aware of the financial threat posed to the middle-upper class white people of the South. Losing
free slavery would mean losing dollars to paid labor, forcing poorer white people to compete for
labor with freed slaves. On top of this already complicated problem, there would be an influx of
Negroes in the South which would increase crime and taxes, which we will discuss in a minute.
What shall be done with these 4.5 million Negroes when set free? Some of the Northern states
have already passed laws prohibiting free Negroes from coming into their limits. They will help
to harbor our runaway slaves, but will not receive among them our free Negroes A large
proportion of them would spend their time in idleness and vice, and would live by stealing,
robbing, and plundering. Probably one fourth of the whole number would have to be maintained
in our penitentiary, prisons, and poor houses. Our people, poor and rich, must be taxed to pay the
expenses of imprisoning and punishing them for crime. They would have to begin the world
miserable, poor, with neither land, money, nor provisions, (Brown 1860, 142).

Peter Griffith
HIST 201-G

HIST 201-G
Dr. Fucker

Essay #2

Peter Griffith
Spring 2014

This is actually a very good argument against not only the abolition of slavery, but even against
the Northern states of the Union, as a whole. However, this idea seems opposed by his assertions
that slaves would ultimately leave the South for healthier climates, which contradicts the
previously made argument.
In addition to this argument, the Northern states were trying to maintain control over the
Southern states even more by halting the transportation and resale of slaves between slave states.
The Constitution of the Confederacy even affirms that citizens of the South shall have the right
of transit and sojourn in any State of this Confederacy, with their slaves and other property; and
the right of property in said slaves shall not thereby be impaired, (145). It is rather interesting
that No slave of the Confederate States escaping or unlawfully carried into another shall
be discharged from such service or labor; but shall be delivered to whom such slave belongs,
(145). This is in direct response to the regulations on slave transport set out by the Northern
states, yet it is interesting that slaves who escape with these slave states are granted relief from
the service or labor they escaped from but they are still returned to the slave owners. This seems
like a contradiction to what they are fighting for, but it still allowed for slave ownership.
One of the primary objections that motivated the South to secession was the issue of
equality. They completely blamed Abraham Lincoln for bringing about the idea of abolition.
The party embracing this sentiment, has constantly denied, and still denies, our equality in the
union and avows its purposes to take from us our property, so soon as it has the power,
(Brown 1860, 142). Opposition was so strong that South Carolina declared their connection to
the Union dissolved, and that they have resumed [her] position among the nations of the world,
granting themselves the same governmental powers as any other established country.

Peter Griffith
HIST 201-G

HIST 201-G
Dr. Fucker

Essay #2

Peter Griffith
Spring 2014

In conclusion, the secession brought a civil war with the Southern states fighting for their
right to own slaves or leave the Union for their rights.

Peter Griffith
HIST 201-G

HIST 201-G
Dr. Fucker

Essay #2

Peter Griffith
Spring 2014

Works Cited
1. Doc. 69, Joseph Brown of Georgia on the Secession Movement (1860), in James W.
Davidson, et. Al, U.S.: A Narrative History, Special McNeese edition, volume 1 (Boston:
McGraw Hill, 2012), Appendix p. 142-143.
2. Doc. 70, South Caroline Secedes (1860), in James W. Davidson, et. Al, U.S.: A
Narrative History, Special McNeese edition, volume 1 (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2012),
Appendix p. 144.
3. Doc. 71, The Constitution of the Confederacy (1861), in James W. Davidson, et. Al,
U.S.: A Narrative History, Special McNeese edition, volume 1 (Boston: McGraw Hill,
2012), Appendix p. 145.
69

Peter Griffith
HIST 201-G