Author Archives: SUMPTER

“sublime Christian heroism”

Posted on January 23, 2013 by SUMPTER

150 years ago this week (January 19, 1863) President Lincoln responded to the working-men of Manchester, England, who had written him on New Year’s Eve to commend him for his Emancipation Proclamation and to encourage him to continue the work … Continue reading →

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Taxing the Frogs

Posted on January 22, 2013 by SUMPTER

From The New-York Times January 22, 1863: THE INTERNAL REVENUE REPORT. We have every reason to congratulate the country on the operation post and prospective of the Internal Revenue Bureau. In another column we publish Mr. Commissioner BOUTWELL’S first official … Continue reading →

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Unimpressed

Posted on January 21, 2013 by SUMPTER

A southern editorial by way of Gotham criticized the Confederate government’s impressment policy for being imposed without legislative approval and for unfairly burdening property owners near the armies or near good transportation avenues. The problem might have been caused by … Continue reading →

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“capture the marauders”

Posted on January 19, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch January 17, 1863: Tory Outrage in Western North Carolina. –On Thursday night, 8th inst., a band of to [?] from the mountains of East Tennessee, and Laurel, N. C., attacked the village of Marshal, Madison … Continue reading →

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Yankee Go Home

Posted on January 18, 2013 by SUMPTER

Paroled Union soldiers roaming the streets, especially offensive to Confederate soldiers’ loved ones From the Richmond Daily Dispatch January 17, 1863: Are the Yankees in possession of Montgomery? –The Montgomery Advertiser says: The question was quite seriously mooted yesterday and … Continue reading →

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Fiat: we’ll pay the troops

Posted on January 17, 2013 by SUMPTER

President Lincoln agreed with Congress that Union soldiers and sailors had to be paid, even if that required printing up to $100 million in new currency. From THE PAPERS AND WRITINGS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN (VOLUME SIX) : PRINTING MONEY MESSAGE … Continue reading →

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Debt for our debts

Posted on January 16, 2013 by SUMPTER

Apparently the strongly pro-Democrat newspaper in Seneca County wasn’t exaggerating too much when it complained that troops and their families were suffering because the federal government was way behind in paying its soldiers. From The New-York Times January 13, 1863: … Continue reading →

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“destitution, insult and wrong”

Posted on January 15, 2013 by SUMPTER

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in January 1863: Our Suffering Soldiers. It is a fact that can no longer be denied, that suffering of the most aggravated character exists among the soldiers, from the neglect of Government. In … Continue reading →

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“practically free by the mere force of circumstances”

Posted on January 14, 2013 by SUMPTER

James Fisher Robinson, governor of the border State of kentucky, opposed President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The following editorial wonders how this could be. Kentucky has lots of troops in the Union military (in fact, “In January 1863, Governor Robinson proudly … Continue reading →

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Constitutional Theorizing

Posted on January 12, 2013 by SUMPTER

If States’ Rights are obsolete, why can’t we make New England one state? From the Richmond Daily Dispatch January 14, 1863: New England’s rights Considered — her Undue preponderance Objected to. A New York paper, taking up a subject that … Continue reading →

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