Pick your own debate... Regarding history!

I am, first, going to lead with several contentions that the North was, indeed, of a higher moral standard than the South. 1. The South betrayed its country by first seceding and then calling for Foreign aid. 2. The South fought for its rights to keep people in bondage and servitude. 3. The South's post-war conduct was atrocious, including the formation of the Ku Klux Clan among members of 'Honourable' society. 4. Southern Behaviour leading to the war was something to be desired. As previously stated, Senatorial caning, bleeding Kansas and the capture of Union forts. The Southern politicians deliberately attempted to halt any legislation that might possibly be beneficial to the North (such as the Homestead laws and Pacific Railway bill that never passed due to Southern interference) 5. The South interfered with the North's rights, rather than vice versa. If anything, it should have been the Union that started the war, even though they did not. Such examples are the 'Fugitive Slave Law', 'Nullification Crisis' and the trial leading up the the Five Points Compromise of 1850, Dred Scott Decision and the like all interfered with the anti-slave sentiments and rights of the North. 6. Slave owners were so bold as to enter Canada in pre-Civil War in order to hunt down 'their' slaves. Each of these people deserved to be beaten down by Canadian citizens (many were). 7. Knights of the Golden Circle founded in the South and attempted aggression and slavery expansion. 8. The tariffs my opponent is referring to. The so called 'oppressive' Walker tariffs were substantially decreased to the contentment of both factions in 1846. 9. The South refuses to re-negotiate with the Union in order to keep a whole country. 10. The South used Highway bandits to interfere with Union shipping. They used privateers (pirates) and outlaws for blockade runners and Confederate raiders. In essence, they benefited from organized crime. 11. Concentration and poorly run prison camps as Camp Sumter were despicable. The Union at least attempted to keep their prisoners fed. ( http://en.wikipedia.org... ) 12. Wirz (a Confederate) was one of the only officers on both sides tried for war crimes. 13. Lastly, Abraham Lincoln was shot by a Confederate, John Wilkes Booth, whom was a part of a Conspiracy - more organized crime. 14. Johnston did not give up the war once Lee honourably surrendered. He carried it on for several more days, determined that the South was not yet lost. Other such radicals fought on for months in the desert and in guerrilla style. ~ Now I will rebut my opponent. Lincoln is a politician. Not only is he a politician, but he, like many others, viewed natives or people with a different skin colour as roughly inferior to white people. This is clear in the quotations that you have provided. However, his actions are also not consistent with the quotations (Thus the indication that he is a politician) that you provide. I believe some state that "Actions speak louder than words." Lincoln even engaged himself in the famed series of debates on slavery with Stephen A. Douglas. My second argument is that not once in the quotations that you have provided did Lincoln advocate the bondage of fellow human beings. Rather, he campaigned against it. Yes, he may not have viewed the two races as equal in social status, but he also did not wish that they remain in barbarous servitude. This is clear in his campaigns, his actions and his speeches - even the speeches that you provided. Note the 'when they gained freedom' in his deportation plans. He, like most others (albeit abolitionists of the time), just wished that if there were to be a superior and inferior race, that the white remained on top until a time could arise that the two live in social equality. Back to my first argument in this post. "Actions speak louder than words." Lincoln campaigned for the possibility of blacks being able to vote, did he not? http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org... Perhaps he had initially not viewed it this way, but once he saw the black soldiers fight honourably and courageously, he obviously changed his opinions. And even if, before the War, Lincoln's opinions of a black man were not that of equality, it is much more than the South's opinion of a black man being naught but a slave and an 'animal'. He, at least, viewed African Americans as People. As did the Abolitionists of the North. I already negated that the High Tariff is not an 'oppression'. Tariffs are laid upon a country as a whole. It is just unfortunate that the South stood to lose upon the passing of it. Also, it is not an oppression, because, as I pointed out above, the Government lowered the tax a few years before the war, to the approval of both factions. My opponent's claim upon rightful Sovereignty of the South in regard to Federal forts is absurd. It is the South that seceded, knowing that Union fortresses still lay upon its boundaries. My opponent will have to give his source on the regard that the Federal Military is not justified to build fortresses for protection against alien and foreign assault. This still does not excuse the firing upon Fort Sumter and the Star of the West, and the many bordering Union forts. Also, it stands that, for defensive purposes, once the Confederacy raised a mass army, the Union should also do so to ensure that the 'loos cannon' of the South did not assault it and gain much territory. I am glad you have brought up Butler, again, as it is clear that you have misinterpreted the context of his order: Issue 28: "As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from the women calling themselves ladies of New Orleans, in return for the most scrupulous non interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter when any female shall, by word, gesture or movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States, she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation. By command of Major General Butler." This merely means that Butler will try any woman who mocks or expresses contempt of his army as a Prostitute. Even so, this is quite the controversial order (especially considering that all that they may be doing is protesting his invasion of their very homes as his headquarters), and it is quite good that he was Removed (emphasize that) from command by Grant and Lincoln. In fact, Grant had little use for Butler and plead several times that Butler be removed. Sadly, Butler had strong political connection in Congress and it took a little longer than either Lincoln or Grant would have liked. 1. Lincoln's views on liberating African Americans: http://en.wikipedia.org...