All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. 'One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. But in 1865, Lincoln acknowledged the obvious in his second inaugural address. There was a great deal of effort by northern leaders during the war to maintain that it wasn't fundamentally a conflict over slavery - because the North needed the allegiance of the border states. Slavery and its perpetuation were always at the center of the schism. The Republican Party was the anti-slavery party in the 1860 election, and Lincoln's election triggered a secessionist wave in the South that eventually swept up Virginia. Why, exactly, did the country get ripped apart? It's a complex issue, but the short answer, the obvious answer, and the unavoidable answer - unless you're the governor of Virginia - is slavery. We're coming up on the sesquicentennial of the firing on Fort Sumter, and we'll be having some version of this conversation, I bet, for much of the next five years. WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history.īob McDonnell's decision to commemorate what he might as well have called the War of Northern Aggression is a reminder that we're still fighting the Civil War 150 years later.

In addition the Governor announced that the following language will be added to the Proclamation: In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly approved a formal statement of 'profound regret' for the Commonwealth's history of slavery, which was the right thing to do.' Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation. The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed. 'The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. Bulletin: McDonnell apologizes, The Post reports.

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