ESSAY: TREASON-A Disquisition in brief on Lincoln’s Invasion of the Southern States

The following Op-Ed Essay was written by Charles Landis.

In previous commentary I argued Lincoln’s “total war” against the Confederacy included acts of terrorism: the use of unlawful violence against non combatants     {women, .children, the old. and sick) for political gain… war crimes. Crimes against ,humanity… atrocities. Here I further argue his war to “save the Union” was in fact an assault against the Constitution and he committed  Impeachable offences in violation of his oath of  Office to uphold the Constitution.  Treason. Consider:

Article 1  Sec. 9.  Habeas Corpus . Over 13,000 people were arrested and imprisoned for, or suspicion of,   expressing  what Lincoln thought was disloyalty to the Union and his war against the Southern states When the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court wrote an opinion critical of Lincoln’s suspension of  habeas corpus for duration of the War, Lincoln wrote orders that  he  be arrested (not carried out).

Article 3 Sec. 3. Treason is defined only in levying war against the states. This is exactly what Lincoln did. Note. South Carolina fired on Fort Sumpter because 1} Lincoln refused to meet and discuss South Carolina’s reclaiming  their property 2} Lincoln secretly, in dead of night, moved forces from nearby Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumpter to better fortify, and 3} sent ships to resupply. These acts were clearly intended by Lincoln to enforce Lincoln’s vow to continue to collect tariffs at port of Charleston.  Further, prior to secession, Lincoln said he would not allow the Southern states to secede be cause the North had superior strength. All acts of intent to wage war

1^st Amendment. Suspension of habeas corpus and imprisonment denied freedom of speech and assembly. Also freedom of press when he closed over 300 newspapers.

2^nd  Amendment. Confiscated arms of citizens in border states he suspected having Confederate sympathies.

9th Amendment. Non enumeration of right to secede  not to be construed as denial of right.

10^th Amendment.  Powers not delegated to the United State by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or  to the people.. Secession.

The War was about secession. Period. Lincoln’s  febrile telos was to fundamentally change the Constitution from a compact of sovereign  states to a consolidated centralized  government, by force as he had threatened before the secession. In the 1860 election. Lincoln received only 39% of  the popular vote and no votes in the 14  Southern and border states It was a sectional election pitting northern commercial interests and Radical Republicans against southern states seeking independence from Northern domination.

The contemporary narrative that gives rise to the disquietude (violence)  of the woke Lef is,  in seceding from the Union and forming a confederation, the Southern states committed a treasonous act of rebellion and insurrection. Therefore, any narrative to the contrary not withstanding  and we must cancel. An honest enquiry into the origins and history of secession and confederation exposes the woke narrative is an untruthful fabrication (a lie).

The Declaration of Independence was a statement of secession from England for “repeated injuries and  usurpations”; grievances  held by 13 colonies asserting independence as independent sovereign states. So thought Jefferson who authored the Declaration. A distinction is made between secession and rebellion or insurrection which attend  an  intent of a violent separation and overthrow of government.  In Declaration, the colonies did not declare war or seek to change England’s form of governance. Their object was independence and self-determination as declared. King George and Abraham Lincoln had a commonality of interest…empire..

When the Colonies, as sovereign independent states,  ratified the Constitution they seceded from the Confederation formed under the Articles of Confederation.

The birthing place for secession was not  Charleston, South Carolina in 1860 but in New England a half century earlier. In 1807 Jefferson declared an embargo on all foreign trade which was very harmful to New England shipping interests. New England Federalist planned a convention to establish a confederation of northern states.  Jefferson’s  successor, James Madison, imposed an Enforcement Act seizing  export goods even if only on  suspicion.   Massachusetts  legislature declared the Act “legally not binding.” Madison later ended the embargo  and the planned secession and confederation of New England states faded.  In war of 1812 Supreme Courts of Massachusetts  and Connecticut  nullified the calling up of state militias and  effectively nullifying the ability of the  national government to declare war.

It should also be noted that in 1798  Jefferson, author of the Kentucky Resolution and the Declaration of Independence, together with Madison, author of the Constitution and the Virginia Resolution, asserted therein those resolves that the Constitution was a compact and the states had the right of nullification and secession. Note Madison used the word interpose.

The   earliest sentiment in America for nullification and secession  was here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, known as  the Northampton Protests in 1652. As a shire, or county, they were entitled to but had been denied representation in the House of Burgesses from 1647-1652  A group of citizens  protested because they were required to pay takes. Also, that “wee did understand and suppose our countie of Northampton to bee disjoined and sequestered from the rest of Virginia” and  the taxes to be excessive and “arbitrarye and illegal”. The first protest against taxation without representation in America!    

 In the long history of nullification and secession s in America,, nowhere in North or South or at any time, were these sentiments considered treason. On the first ballot at the Virginia Secession Convention, the vote was overwhelming (90 vs 45) to  not secede and remain in the Union. When Lincioln  mobilized 75,000 troops to invade, the convention reconvened and  voted to secede. Supported in like measure by referendum.  Pursuant to Article 3 Sec. 3 of the Constitution, therefore it was Lincoln who committed the treason. In the great conflict that ensued, it was Lincoln who instructed terrorism and violation of the Constitution to end of total war to subjugate the Southern states .Together with 12 years of military occupation and a Reconstruction by Radical Republicans and bayonets, Lincoln brought forh a new Union.