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Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Sat Sep 23, 2017 1:55 am

To see the thread with pics of the monuments see here
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread ... -Monuments


Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

"The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history"
-Milan Hubl, Czek communist

"It means that the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern school teachers; will learn from Northern school books their version of the War, will be impressed by all influences of history and education to regard our gallant dead as traitors, our maimed veterans as fit objects for their derision."
-Major General Patrick Cleburne, C.S.A. Jan. 2, 1864

African American Contributions to memorials for Jackson


When the statue for General Jackson was put up in the cemetery where he is now buried, the first contribution came from Lexington's Baptist Church for negroes. This church was established by a member of Mr. Jackson's Sunday-school.

“Thomas Jackson, like Jesus, was willing to cross real boundaries for the sake of the Gospel.”
-pastor Bill Reinhold

The all black Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church in Roanoke Virginia raised the funds and on may 10 1906 installed a stain glass window in memory of stonewall Jackson. It reads “in memory of stonewall Jackson” and Jackson's last words “Let us cross over the river and rest in the shade of the trees.” This date was significant for two reasons. First, it was on May 10, 1863, that Jackson uttered his immortal dying words: “Let us cross over the river and rest in the shade of the trees.” Second, 1906 marked the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Jackson’s black Sunday school. The ceremony attended by church members and local sons of confederate veterans. It is still displayed today to honor Jackson. He is the only confederate to have a memorial built dedicated to him in a African American church raised only by blacks. The descendants of his bible school.

Jackson Emphatically the Black Mans Friend

“he was emphatically the black mans friend.”
Jackson's reverend William White

Jackson started a bible study for slaves and free blacks called the Lexington colored Sabbath school where 80-100 local blacks attended. He would teach them to sing songs like amazing grace and read so they could study the bible. It was “entirely his creation, he conceived it, financed it, organized it, and promoted it” said Jackson's reverend William White. Jackson's wife said he was never more happy than when he was teaching at the colored Sabbath school. When a lawyer told Jackson it was illegal to have such large numbers of slaves gathered together Jackson responded “Sir, if you were, as you should be, a christian man, you would not think it or say it.” to Jackson their were Gods laws, and man s laws, he would follow Gods laws. Jackson contributed to the school even away at war until his death.

“He [Jackson] had stated on several occasions he wished the slaves could be freed”
-Richard G Williams Stonewall Jackson the black man's friend

Jackson was a slave owner but did not hold pro slavery views. He wished that slavery would endbut believed God had ordained slavery and only God could abolish it. He should be judged as a man from his time where slavery was legal around the world for thousands of years and an accepted way of life believed to ordained by God. He was kind and gentle to his servants and because of his reputation, two of his slaves asked Jackson to purchase them and he did so. He also allowed them freedom when they wished. One slave Jackson adopted was 4 year old Emma who was mentally hadicapped. His servants reverenced him and “loved him, as they would have done a brother or father” when Jackson got word his elderly house servant Amy passed he wept as if a close loved family member had passed, because they did. Jackson asked how his slaves were doing in letters home during the war and sent gifts on holidays. His slaves joined in mourning his death.

“Jackson neither apologized for nor spoke in favor of the practice of slavery. He probably opposed the institution. Yet in his mind the Creator had sanctioned slavery, and man had no moral right to challenge its existence. The good Christian slaveholder was one who treated his servants fairly and humanely at all times.”
-James I. Robertson, Stonewall Jackson : The Man, The Soldier, The Legend

Jackson had a close personal relationship with his servant Jim Lewis who tearfully led Jackson horse to his burial place at his ceremony. It had become common remark in the camp that none knows of the generals plans but this old negro. Asked how he became in such confidence of the general

"Lord sir, "Massa never tells me nothing, but the way I knows is this. Massa says his prayers twice a day, morning and night. But if he gets out of bed three times in the night to pray, you see I just commences packing my sack, for I know there's will be the devil to pay the next day"

Lewis gave advice to Jackson who took his recommendations, their were few people Jackson listened to, Lewis was one of them.

Some find it unimaginable that a master could possible love his slaves and treat them well. That is only because we are taught the abolitionist/ uncle toms cabin version of slavery in America, instead of the historical version of what slavery in America was like, seeLook Away Politically Incorrect Information About Slavery
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...-About-Slavery

Jackson was Pro Union

Jackson was a pro union man and was against secession. He sought peace between secessionist and unionist by working with churches north, and south, to unite in a national day of prayer to plead to God to avert a war. Jackson once had a secession flag removed at VMI that students had put up and he replaced it with the union flag. Jackson was very anti-war as a result of his experiences in the Mexican-american war. Jackson said “people who are anxious to bring on war don't know what they are beginning for.” He called war “the sum of all evils”

Why did he Fight?

Jackson was a moderate states rights democrat who favored keeping Washington's nose out of Virginians business and working within the union to resolve differences and remained pro union after the deep south secession. However what changed for many in Virginia when Lincoln called for volunteers to invade the deep south cotton states. This was seen by Jackson as it was most Virginians, as a major violation of state sovereignty and the constitution, and a just cause for secession. Jackson thought it unimaginable that a “fellow American would invade and fight another American.”

“To Jackson, Lincoln had launched a war of aggression against sovereign states, that is why he fought”
-S.C Gwynne Rebel Yell The Violence, Passion and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson Simon and Schuster 2014

Like most antebellum Americans Jackson's first loyalty was to his state. When Virginia left their was no question as to Jackson allegiance.

“He believed the constitutional rights of the states had been invaded, and he never had a doubt as to where his allegiance was due. His sword belonged to his state”
-Anna Jackson Wife of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

His wife Anna said “He would never have fought for the sole object of perpetrating slavery.”

“Jackson fought for the constitutional rights of the South, and any one who imagines he fought for slavery knows nothing of Jackson.”
-William C. Chase, in Story of Stonewall Jackson : A Narrative of the Career of Thomas Jonathan (Stonewall) Jackson

Lincolns call for volunteers led Jackson and Virginia to leave the union, nothing to do with slavery like the cotton states.

Causes of Southern Seccession- the Upper South
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...he-Upper-South

An American Hero- Northern Reactions to Jackson Death

Jackson was seen as an American hero because of his religious faith, his bravery, and his character. He was a loving husband and father who loved children, a caring, kind, gentle person who had great compassion on his soldiers and civilians sick, wounded or mistreated.

“Northerners pride themselves that he was a fellow citizen of the republic, an American, independent of northern or southern birth”
-Catherine Hopley

“In the north there was widespread admiration for Jackson, for both his christian piety and his warrior prowess...an Honorable man”
-Harpers Weekly

“quiet, modest, brave, noble, Honorable, and pure. He fought neither for reputation know, nor for future personal advancement.”
-Henry Beecher abolitionist newspaper the Independent

“Stonewall Jackson was a great general, a brave soldier, a noble christian, and a pure man”
-Washington Chronicle

Abraham Lincoln wrote in a response to the editor thanking him for the “excellent” article on Jackson

“this army takes pride in Stonewall...to have fought against him is next to having fought under him
-Charles Adams Jr Union solider

“In my soldiers heart I cannot but see him as the best solider of all this war, and grieve at his untimely death
-Union general Governer Warren


References

-Stonewall Jackson: The Black Man's Friend by Richard G. Williams Jr. (Author), James. I. Robertson Jr.

-Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story James I Robertson Jr. (Actor), Bill Potter (Actor), Ken Carpenter (Director)

--S.C Gwynne Rebel Yell The Violence, Passion and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson Simon and Schuster 2014

-Such Troops as these The Genius and Leadership of confederate General Stonewall Jackson Bevin Alexander Berkeley Caliber 2014

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1stvermont
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Re: Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Sat Sep 23, 2017 1:56 am

Former Slave Votes to Erect Confederate Monument

African American and former slave John Harris was a republican in 1870 from Mississippi house of representatives. According to the journal of house of representatives of Mississippi He voted for S.B no 25

“an act for the benefit of the confederate monument now in process of erection on the capital square Jackson, Mississippi”

All six black house of representatives voted in favor of the bill. Harri gave a speech in favor recorded in the newspaper the daily Clarioledger, Jackson Miss feb 23, 1890

""Mr. Speaker! I have arisen here in my place to offer a few words on the bill. I have come from a sick bed...Perhaps it was not prudent for me to come. But, Sir, I could not rest quietly in my room without...contributing...a few remarks of my own.
"I was sorry to hear the speech of the young gentleman from Marshall County. I am sorry that any son of a soldier should go on record as opposed to the erection of a monument in honor of the brave dead. And, Sir, I am convinced that had he seen what I saw at Seven Pines and in the Seven Days' fighting around Richmond, the battlefield covered with the mangled forms of those who fought for their country and for their country's honor, he would not have made that speech.

"When the news came that the South had been invaded, those men went forth to fight for what they believed, and they made no requests for monuments. But they died, and their virtues should be remembered. Sir, I went with them. I too, wore the gray, the same color my master wore. We stayed four long years, and if that war had gone on till now I would have been there yet.

"I want to honor those brave men who died for their convictions. When my mother died I was a boy. Who, Sir, then acted the part of a mother to the orphaned slave boy, but my 'old missus'? Were she living now, or could speak to me from those high realms where are gathered the sainted dead, she would tell me to vote for this bill. And, Sir, I shall vote for it. I want it known to all the world that my vote is given in favor of the bill to erect a monument in honor of the Confederate dead."

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lodilefty
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Re: Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:53 pm

Interesting that there is always a minority position. We can also find Americans that supported the British in 1776....

WARNING to all members. This is obviously a very hot political topic in USA these days. This thread will be deleted and all parties warned at any hint of rancorous debate....

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tripax
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Re: Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:42 am

With regards to John F. Harris' vote, the story goes that each of the state representatives who voted against the $10,000 appropriations bill then donated $10 to support the monument. Ed. S. Watson led the opposition to the appropriation, stating that this money should not be spent this way, when veterans and widows were still in need of so much help. At the same time, a $60,000 bill passed for the creation of a insane asylum for blacks (at the time, such asylums were a public health necessity).

I don't know, but my understanding is that in 1890 a black man in Mississippi voting against an appropriation to honor the Confederacy that was certain to pass would have been a bad idea. Harris, who is known as the carpenter-lawyer, is also noted for his opposition to the famous 1890 Mississippi Constitutional Convention, which did in fact convene. The convention considered the portions of its new constitution that instituted literacy tests and poll taxes as being the most important. More on Harris is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._H ... ississippi)

Regarding Jackson, a fun story is that in 1900, the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Association (it wasn't the only body to ever hold this name) was founded by Hunter McGuire, Jackson's doctor during the war, to purchase the Chandler House in Caroline County, Virginia where Jackson died. The house was owned by a black man (George King, I think), who refused to sell for the offered $5,000. The association gave up and in 1905 donated the money they had raised to buy the house to Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital in Lexington, Virginia. The railroad (it was a railroad town), ended up buying the house from King in 1909 and turning it into a park from which it has since developed.

richfed
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Re: Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:36 pm

lodilefty wrote:Interesting that there is always a minority position. We can also find Americans that supported the British in 1776....

WARNING to all members. This is obviously a very hot political topic in USA these days. This thread will be deleted and all parties warned at any hint of rancorous debate....


Seems EVERYTHING is a hot - and sensitive - topic in the USA these days. I have solved the problem ... by becoming a hermit!

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1stvermont
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Re: Blacks Originally Helped Create Stonewall Jackson Monuments

Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:06 pm

richfed wrote:
lodilefty wrote:Interesting that there is always a minority position. We can also find Americans that supported the British in 1776....

WARNING to all members. This is obviously a very hot political topic in USA these days. This thread will be deleted and all parties warned at any hint of rancorous debate....


Seems EVERYTHING is a hot - and sensitive - topic in the USA these days. I have solved the problem ... by becoming a hermit!



that is what they hope for, i do the opposite.

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