by Jack McMillan, Ph.D.

 Between the years 1859 and 1861 Salomon De Rothschild, son of Baron James De Rothschild, visited America. His insights into the political and cultural sentiments of that tumultuous period have been the focus of this series of articles.  In this concluding paper, I wish to recount to the reader Mr. Rothschild's observations of Abraham Lincoln and the underlying causes of the War for Southern Independence. 

 Rothschild met both the famous and the common-folk during his visit, affording him the opportunity to gain a keen insight into the American psyche of the day.  In a letter to his cousin Nathan in London he writes of Lincoln before his inauguration, '… As for Lincoln, the future President, he is entirely below his position, and the Republicans themselves regret having nominated him. He refuses all compromises and thinks only of repression by force of arms. He has the external appearance of a peasant and all he does is tell tavern anecdotes. The other day I saw one of his partisans who had gone to see him at Springfield [Illinois], to chat with him about the current situation. He found him seated, in shirt sleeves, his feet on the mantelpiece, his hat on his head, amusing himself by making huge semicircles with tobacco juice that he squeezed out of his quid.' 

The reader should note several points. Lincoln had no intention of engaging the Southern States peacefully.  America's bloodiest war could perhaps have been averted if Lincoln had met with Confederate President Jefferson Davis and reached a mutual understanding.  Those history books, which claim Lincoln only wanted peace, are spinning fairy tales; a man who lived at the time and met with one of Lincoln's partisans says otherwise.  A second point should be made regarding Mr. Lincoln's unusual behavior. It is now known that Abraham Lincoln was a manic-depressive. To overcome his bouts of depression, his physicians prescribed anti-depressants. These early remedies had noxious side effects; Lincoln experienced wild mood swings and bizarre behavior. America's most tragic time came, in part, from Abraham Lincoln's now infamous  "little blue pills". 

Regarding the causes of the war, Rothschild notes ' … I'll come back later to the "slavery" question, which was the first pretext for secession, but which was just a pretext and is now secondary. The true reason that impelled the Southern states to secede is the question of tariffs. The South is simply a producer and consumer; the West and the North, and especially the East, are almost entirely manufacturers… that these duties do it (the South) no good and that the money goes back into the pockets of the Northern manufacturers'. Further, the tariff issue had been a sticking point for some time.  Again Rothschild writes to his cousin, ' … This question of tariffs has been discussed in the deliberative assemblies for more than twenty years, and despite the efforts of the South, despite the majority which its supporters in the North gave it, the country has leaned more toward protectionism than toward free trade'. 

As the reader will discern, conflicting economic interests rather than any moral crusade were at the root of the war. Lest there be any doubt, let us quote Rothschild further, '…   The North understood that it was lost if secession continued and made progress. Who would then come to buy the iron products of Pennsylvania and the manufactured goods of New England? It would no longer be the South, for the South would get its supplies in the European markets and would find a way to pass its purchases into the western states. From that moment on, the South no longer had a supporter in the North; Republicans and Democrats crowded around the flag of the Union. Patriotism and the old memories played some part in this; but believe me, the principal motive was the pocket.' 

In conclusion there has been much misinformation expounded regarding the cause of the war.  As children we were all taught that the "Civil War" was fought solely over slavery. As adults we should realize that such simplistic notions are rarely correct. Like all human activities, wars are complex, multi-faceted events.  Why then are we told only the Northern version of the war? As Napoleon Bonaparte put it " History is a fable penned by the victors".  The winners write the history books.  In truth, the North was concerned with protecting its industries and only radical abolitionists wanted a "slave war".  Indeed, abolitionists were merely a small fringe element in the North. Their numbers did include some New England elitists, which gave them an aura of prestige and importance that otherwise was undeserved.  As Dr. Grady McWhiney explains, 'What passes as standard American history is really Yankee history written by New Englanders or their puppets to glorify Yankee heroes and ideals.'  As Southerners, it is time we step forward and let the truth be known. We have no reason to be ashamed of our history, our culture, or our Confederate heroes - let us hope our descendants will have no reason to be ashamed of us.

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