Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Nowhere High Part 7 of 13
“… caused the war Gus.”
“I hear ya Reb, it wasn’t just a law.”
“No, slavery was constitutional.”
“Three-fifths plus three-fifths.”
“How’s that?”
“That makes six-fifths."
“Okay.”
“As you can see,” Gus continued, “that’s more than one.”
“Right.”
“So two slaves counted as a bit more than one free person.”
“Well said.”
“That’s why it wasn’t just that slavery was legal.”
“Higher.”
“It was that slaves counted, at the constitutional rate of two for one.”
Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Nowhere Heart “Yes Gus.”
“That’s the heart of the matter.”
“Again yes.”
“The good and bad of slavery wasn’t the point.”
“That worked well to get the people fired up.”
“Divided us.”
“With the real power –”
“Hey Reb?”
“What?”
“It’s like the morality of slavery was the feint force.”
“I get ya.”
“While the real force (power) is in this math no one ever talked about?”
Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Nowhere Help “Correct Gus.”
“Okay.”
“Everyone got caught up in the right and wrong of slavery.”
“And we overlooked the Constitution.”
“That’s never good.”
“Hardly Johnny.”
“It can work awhile.”
“Even look like it’s working.”
“Right Gus.”
“But all things go back to their source.”
“They sure do.”
Next Up: The Union 2016 summer series continues on Thursday 11 August with part 8, Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Nowhere Is There.
Posted by Bryan W. Brickner
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