Mount Virtus

Update: An astute observer has corrected a factual mistake. James Madison wrote “much of” - not “most of” - the Federalist. Alexander Hamilton wrote more, though Madison wrote many of the key essays that frame the meaning of Union. My faux pas.

The following is adapted and expanded from an email listserv essay I wrote recently, inspired initially in response to the following phrase someone had written: “The American Republic created by the founding fathers was destroyed by the civil war….” Here is my argument why libertarians should think long and hard before embracing a defense of the Confederate cause:

Quite simply, the noble libertarian impulse to champion resistance to government encroachment on people’s freedoms has led many astray to assail the Union’s cause during the Civil War and to embrace the validity of the Confederate cause.

This is not to imply in the contemporary spirit of relativist debate that holding this reflexive position necessarily makes one a racist or slavery apologist. But the line of argument that has been used takes the misguided tack of placing all blame on the eventual victors of the Civil War, while giving short shrift to the question of the war’s causation. Understanding who is responsible for the war and the political context of the era shrouds the ability to cast easy reflexive judgments against Lincoln that can be used to draw a straight line of rising statist oppression from then until now.
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It was 145 years ago today that one of the more heroic and decisive - if also perhaps too well-known - actions in our nation’s Civil War took place. If you’ve seen the movie Gettysburg, then you know just what I’m talking about: The daring and desperate charge by the 20th Maine volunteer infantry regiment from its position on the far left flank of the Union line.

Led by Colonel (and future Governor) Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the 20th Maine swung down Little Round Top in the late afternoon of July 2 and captured numerous members of a Confederate raiding force that threatened a critical breakthrough in its own desperate Pennsylvania invasion. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine’s successful counter-charge played a pivotal role in setting the stage for General Robert E. Lee to dare the ill-fated Pickett’s Charge the following day.

Huzzah to Colonel Chamberlain and his 358 men, 131 of whom were killed or wounded atop Little Round Top that day. And to other lesser known regiments who paid an especially brutal price in the three-day fight at Gettsyburg, especially the 24th Michigan and 1st Minnesota.

Jason Janz - a personal acquaintance I met through his launching and running the successful Christian website Sharper Iron - wrote a Speakout published in today’s Rocky Mountain News about Denver’s upcoming Juneteenth celebration:

I am not African-American and I am going to Juneteenth. In fact, I believe that people of all ethnicities should attend if they are able. Why? Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and equality, values that every American should embrace. Just because the peak of the civil rights movement has passed does not mean that racial tension in our community is gone. There is still much work to do. By standing next to the African-American community, you are showing solidarity with them as a partner for peace and harmony in our city.

I also believe that celebrating another culture will enrich your life. Learning about another culture will teach you much about your own. You cannot fully understand your own culture unless you understand others. Saturday will be a study for you in similarities and differences. You will see commonalities that show that all people are more alike than different. At the same time, you will see the differences between your culture and African-American culture as unique gifts from God to make this city a beautiful place to live and work.

Jason and his family left their more comfortable place in a suburban church ministry to start the multi-ethnic Providence Bible Church. If you are a Christian believer, please consider supporting the Janz family and their labor of love with your prayers. Or maybe you can join them at this Saturday’s Juneteenth celebration.

Yesterday, highlighting Governor Bill Ritter’s arrogant response to the recent court decision finding his property tax hike unconstitutional, Republican leaders in the state legislature Mike May and Andy McElhany dashed off a scathing letter:

It is irresponsible to assume that the Colorado Supreme Court will overturn the decision of the District Court that your property tax proposal from last year is unconstitutional.

A new analysis by Legislative Council shows that the cost of doing nothing to address this possibility, before the budget goes into effect on July 1, 2008, will be $272 million! The price of inaction is too great.

Serving in the justice system, you saw how difficult it is to win on appeal, and must recognize the need for a plan of action should the appeal fail.

It was unwise to ignore the opinion of Colorado Attorney General John Suthers: It is reckless to ignore both the attorney general and our District Court.

We are writing to request that you notify the legislature of your plan to address the unbalanced budget situation created by your unconstitutional property tax hike. As our governor, you have the power to make cuts to the budget or to call us into a special session.

If you refuse to act, we strongly believe you owe the people of Colorado an explanation as to why you are so certain that the Supreme Court will overturn the existing ruling.

We cannot help but wonder if you know something that the rest of Colorado does not, that causes you to be so confident that the Supreme Court, tasked with upholding justice and not agendas, will come down on your side….

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O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.

Today, pay your respects to a fallen soldier, sailor, airman, Marine - and to their loved ones still with us. And don’t forget to thank the troops you meet for their service to us all. Happy Memorial Day!

Other local Memorial Day written and visual remembrances from Michael at Best Destiny, Jim at Thinking Right, Joshua at View from a Height, and Rossputin.

From farther afield, Maggie Thurber shares the history of Memorial Day, Fort Hard Knox posts the President’s Prayer for Peace, and Chuck Muth recounts the heroism of four recent Medal of Honor winners.

Today’s reminder that the Democrats are engaged in a bitter intramural fight for the presidential nomination: Rick Moran at Pajamas Media compares the upcoming Pennsylvania primary (upcoming as in April 22 … 40 days or so) to the Battle of Gettysburg for its potential to dictate the final outcome in the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton showdown:

A Hillary Clinton win in Pennsylvania – especially a big win – will probably start a movement of Super Delegates in her direction. It won’t be decisive given that a number of Supers will hold off endorsing anyone until the convention. But it will almost certainly allow her to catch up and perhaps even surpass Obama in total delegates.

This is hugely important because it will cut into Obama’s argument that he has the most democratically elected delegates as well as a probable edge in the raw popular vote. But Obama has wracked up the majority of his delegates in caucuses as well as smaller states where Republicans are traditionally strong. His argument loses some of its steam when set against the party’s desperate desire to win the presidency.

Given the stakes, it is almost a certainty that some sort of nominating contests will take place in Florida and Michigan, overturning a ruling by the National Committee that took away all of their delegates to the convention as punishment for moving up their primary dates. But what do you do with the 3 million Democrats who have already voted in those states and gave Hillary Clinton decisive victories?

It is an unbelievable tangle that absolutely must be sorted out before June 6 when party rules say that the nominating contest is over. Holding primaries – usually funded by state legislatures – is prohibitive. An idea to hold a mail in primary is a possibility but a logistical nightmare. Florida Democrats have already decided on a mail in revote but it is unclear whether the Obama campaign or the National Committee will allow it. Michigan seems amenable to compromise but there’s no guarantee that anything can be worked out that would allow for a nominating contest before the June 6 deadline.

All of this is in the future. For now, the party will watch the two candidates slug it out over the unbearably long stretch of 6 weeks until Pennsylvania votes on April 22. And slug it out seems to be the plan that both campaigns have adopted.

Like most attempts to draw historical analogies, you don’t want to scrutinize the Gettysburg metaphor too hard. It doesn’t exactly work that well beyond the potential for the “turning point” and the ironic fact that it will come in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

That being said … Barack and Hillary: Keep on sluggin’.

Thanks, Mr. Snaggle-Tooth, for your lengthy treatise in response to my prior arguments. In it you write:

Ole Ben links a Liberty article by libertarian attorney Timothy Sandefur, ‘n I mus’ say it’s jus’ ‘bout as good as the pro-Unionist argumint kin git. Quite Jaffian it wuz, with the acrid odor of Claremont about it. But that article got picked to pieces in-iss un’, written by anothah libertarian attorney, Stephan Kinsella. (See this here response by Kinsella too.)

Well, in the interest of time, here’s an even better version of Sandefur’s argument (link leads to abstract, from which you can download a PDF). It’s a very well-documented and well-argued essay, and there isn’t much I can add to it in this forum. Some of its salient points: 1) The “compact theory” of the Constitution is weak and doesn’t hold up to careful scrutiny; 2) Unilateral secession is unconstitutional; 3) The South’s actions were not justifiable as a revolution; 4) The Confederate States were primarily motivated by a desire to protect slave property; and 5) Libertarians ascribing all the ills of national government consolidation at the feet of Lincoln and the Civil War have overreached and committed the post hoc fallacy.
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I’ve had a recent exchange with Snaggle-Tooth Jones over some historical issues of contemporary political significance: my initial response is here; his latest post is here. I haven’t had time to draft a thorough and thoughtful response to his latest, but in the meantime would like to point him to an eloquent piece written by my friend Joshua Sharf at the Denver Post’s Gang of Four about Ron Paul’s misguided take on Civil War history (key excerpt follows):

Paul’s argument isn’t right. It isn’t even wrong. It misses so many fundamental facts of life in 1860 that it could only appeal to that narrow slice of the electorate whose civics education ended in 12th grade, but who actually remember what they were taught. You can’t be completely ignorant and make an argument like this. Less than a year out of college, I tried to make this same argument. It says something about RonPaul that on just about anything outside of economics, he sounds like a refugee from a college debating society.

And yes, Snaggle-Tooth, I have read Jeffrey Hummel’s book: His argument happens to suffer from much of the same narrow view. In that vein, you also may want to read a 2002 essay penned by an acquaintance of mine, titled “Liberty and Union, Now and Forever.” I’ll get back to you with more soon.

Fellow blogger Snaggle-Tooth Jones has leveled a misguided attack:

This here’s a YouTube video showin’ a 1938 reunion of Confederate and Yankee soldiers on the field of Gettysburg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1byof4IAHk

Now, here’s a litte question for Ben DeGrow and the othah no-account neocons (and damn fool libruls) who ‘r vexed over All Things Confederate: why do ye suppose these men cud get together in such a spirit of civility, if not chivalry?

I’d like to hear from ye in my commints box, Ben DeGrow.

Why d’ ye ’spose U.S. Grant happily tolerated the playin’ of “Dixie” at this here event? Or why do ye ’spose that Grant was so magnanimous at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox? Or why Lee defended Grant when one of his feller professers at Washington College made a deerogtoree comment ’bout Grant?

How unlike the Politically Correct Grant wuz. And among the ranks of the Politically Correct I include so-called conservatives like you. *Especially* conservatives like you, since y’all should know better.

‘L, anyway, it’s said that the Yankees in that YouTube video got chills done they spine when that Reb feller did the Rebel Yell. Y’all oughter still be gittin’ chills.

The Northern conservatives of the 21st century surely ain’t like the Northern conservatives of the 19th and early to mid-20th. More like damn fool libruls, I’d say.

First of all, I had to chuckle when reading and finding out that I am “vexed over All Things Confederate.” I like to think I have a more balanced view informed by a fairly thorough and widespread reading of primary and secondary sources in 19th century American history. Though I by no means have come close to plumbing the depths, I do believe I’ve read and studied enough to form intelligent opinions on the topic. And no, it has not led me into political correctness - which Mr. Jones should feel free to elaborate on more in depth (as well as provide examples).
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Read William Bennett’s impassioned plea to teach kids the soul of American history once more, published today in National Review Online. I share Dr. Bennett’s passion: So many young Americans today are truly deprived in this respect.

Bennett explains:

Many of our history books are either too tendentious — disseminating a one-sided, politically correct view of the history of the greatest nation that ever existed; or, worse, they are boring — providing a watered down, anemic version of a people who have fought wars at home and abroad for the purposes of liberty and equality, conquered deadly diseases, and placed men on the moon.

And later:

In his farewell address to the nation, the large-minded amateur historian President Ronald Reagan warned of what we see in our nation’s report card today, saying “If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit.” How much more dangerous is this now, as we fight a war for our very existence and expect young Americans to sign up and fight for a country and way of life worthy of their own lives? In the long run, why will future Americans want to stand up and fight for a country they do not even know — a country in which they are born aliens? How do we ask them to fight, and perhaps die, for a country they do not know?

Our history is full of controversy, suffering, struggling, overcoming, and winning. There is no reason to elevate its failings at the expense of its successes, nor is there reason to ignore its failings or, worse, turn it into a snooze-fest. The task is to tell the truth — but can we not do so in an interesting, lively, and glorious way — the way I know and have seen some teachers do?

There’s so much to discuss and explore in the themes Bennett raises in this article, but textbooks and teachers seem to be one great place to start. Let’s promote and reward the truly good ones.

Is this merely a pipe dream of mine that the Republic can yet be saved by educated young men and women who are inspired to really learn and understand our nation’s past, and write the next bold chapter in American history? Sigh. I hope not.

Independence Day is almost upon us, but it appears about half of Americans couldn’t care less about the real reason for the celebration. The results of a new survey from Zogby are disappointing - albeit not terribly surprising - and a bit enlightening as well.

The pollster asked 1,884 American adults what the #1 reason for celebrating the coming holiday is (a holiday that just happens to be named Independence Day):

Just 48% of those surveyed say that they specifically mark the Fourth of July as a time to celebrate America�s independence. Another 33% say they see the holiday as an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, while much smaller percentages look at the Fourth as just a day off from work (6%), or as a break from the routine to allow some summer travel (2%).

Can’t figure out what the other 11% were thinking, but “the chance to relive childhood pyromaniac tendencies” didn’t appear anywhere in the story. The breakdown was the most interesting feature, and perhaps the latest exhibit in the Red State-Blue State phenomenon:

When it comes to celebrating America�s independence, there is a huge division down party lines, the poll shows. Sixty-five percent of Republicans say they use the Fourth for that purpose, while just 30% of Democrats say the same. Almost half (48%) of independents agree.

Among men, 55% said they celebrate the nation�s independence on the Fourth, compared to 42% of women. Patriotism appears to generally increase with age. While 55% of those age 65 and older specifically celebrate national independence, just 40% of 18-29 year-olds agreed. There was some small differences depending on geography � those living in the West (53%), South (50%), and Central/Great Lakes (50%) areas celebrate independence more than those in the East (40%), while those in rural areas (56%) and small cities (51%) do so more than large city residents (47%) and suburbanites (43%).

And yet, true to our great heritage, Americans remain stubborn defenders of tradition, even if many of them don’t seem to care much about the tradition itself:

Although they may not be celebrating the true meaning of Independence Day, Americans are adamant about keeping the holiday on the Fourth of July, regardless of what day of the week it may fall. Seventy-seven percent say they would not favor moving the holiday to the first Monday of the month to simplify time off from work, mirroring the treatment of several other holidays. And 80% say that celebrating the Fourth of July on a different day would diminish its meaning.

Thank a veteran or active-duty serviceman for their great sacrifices as we remember those who “gave the last full measure of devotion,” from Lexington & Concord to Baghdad and a thousand places in between.

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life.
America, America,
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And ev’ry gain divine.

Editor’s note: I have included my most highly recommended Lincoln book selections at the end of this post, if you care to read that far.

Since the celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was subsumed under the generic President’s Day label, the significance of tomorrow often is forgotten. But I would have a difficult time omitting a commemorative mention of the significance of February 12 - especially this year.

In both the Gregorian and Western Christian church calendars, 2006 runs the same pattern as 1865, the closing months of Lincoln’s life - since recounted in legendary memory. The assassination of the 16th President took place on the night of Good Friday, April 14, the same date in which American Christians and others will celebrate Christ’s divine sacrifice on Mt. Calvary this year. The timing of Lincoln’s murder established a quasi-religious mythology surrounding the Great Emancipator.

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I’m probably not the first one to tell you to read Mark Steyn’s new article, “It’s the Demography, Stupid.” Reading it may be the equivalent of having a bucket of cold water splashed on you while you’re lying asleep in bed. But you may be glad you woke up when you did. Simply a must-read.

President Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation (October 20, 1864):

It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year, defending us with his guardian care against unfriendly designs from abroad, and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy, who is of our own household. It has also pleased our Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our soldiers in their campus, and our sailors on the rivers and seas, with unusual health. He has largely augmented our free population by emancipation and by immigration, while he has opened to us new sources of wealth, and has crowned the labor of our workingmen in every department of industry with abundant rewards. Moreover, he has been pleased to animate and inspire our minds and hearts with fortitude, courage, and resolution sufficient for the great trial of civil war into which we have been brought by our adherence as a nation to the cause of freedom and humanity, and to afford to us reasonable hopes of an ultimate and happy deliverance from all our dangers and afflictions.

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may be then, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid, that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust, and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications to the great Disposer of events for a return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased him to assign as a dwelling-place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations.

In testimony where of, I have here unto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.

There lives in those words a lot of relevance to our nation’s circumstances today. Of even more enduring relevance, the opening of the 107th Psalm, from the New American Standard Bible:

1Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary
3And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
4They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region;
They did not find a way to an inhabited city.
5They were hungry and thirsty;
Their soul fainted within them.
6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He delivered them out of their distresses.
7He led them also by a straight way,
To go to an inhabited city.
8Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
9For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

May you see afresh the LORD’s lovingkindess in your life. May the LORD bless you with a grateful heart during this Thanksgiving holiday, a grateful heart that lives on throughout the year. Peace and blessings to you and yours - and save some turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing leftovers for me!

Jan Crawford Greenburg of the Chicago Tribune raises the specter today that political expediency might steer the Bush White House away from nominating an avowedly outspoken anti-Roe candidate for the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Nomination Blog speculates on the significance of reported statements that the President’s people have dropped strong conservative Judge Edith Jones from the list.

I don’t think there’s too much to read into this solitary report - unless you are starved for news on the subject amid the raging silence of recent days. First, Jones wasn’t very high on many experts’ A-lists as a potential replacement (even though Main Street USA reveled in her potential role as “the nuclear nominee”). Michael Luttig, Sam Alito, John Roberts, Emilio Garza, and Janice Rogers Brown have all been better bets. Second, I am inclined to believe that the shrewd Bush White House is well-prepared for the impending struggle and will probably unload a tactical surprise somewhere during the process. Third, it would be folly for the President to alienate his base and betray a campaign promise.

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness….”

HAPPY 229TH BIRTHDAY, USA!

May you all safely enjoy your Independence Day weekend celebrations with friends and family!

If ever there were an occasion in our day for playing the Ashokan Farewell, it would be the funeral of Shelby Foote. The haunting melodic theme of the PBS series “The Civil War” and its most well-recognized face and voice - brought together one last time.

Before Foote achieved national face recognition on the PBS series for his colorful recounting of wartime tales, he was a successful novelist and author of the grand, daunting trilogy “Civil War: A Narrative” (the three volumes in paperback weigh more than 9 pounds combined) - ranked 15th on Modern Library’s Top 100 list of 20th century nonfiction English-language works. I count myself as one of the few who made it through the 2,800+ pages of rich and detailed military history. The fraternity of those of us who have made it through and are under the age of 30 must be very small, indeed. But what a hallmark of dedicated research and writing, a sign of a passion for telling the story behind the subject matter.

The Washington Times reports today that Mr. Foote died Monday night in Memphis, Tenn. He was 88 years old.

Time to bring out the fiddle and guitar for a sentimental replaying of a famous haunting melody.