On the record
The North could easily justify itself by argument, but the statement without argument apparently showed that the South had been deceived.
Source
gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Blaine discusses the justification of the North's actions in the context of the Missouri Compromise, highlighting the perception of deception felt by the South.
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The feeling in many portions of the country toward the emancipated slaves, especially among the ignorant and uneducated, is one of vindictive and malicious hatred.
Such an opportunity would have been a menace to the public credit, and would have proved a constant source of corruption.
The Northern people shrank from the responsibility of transferring the government of States to the control of men who had already shown themselves capable of desperate deeds.
In my judgment our sole authority for the acts which we have done during the last four years was the authority communicated to Congress by the Constitution to suppress insurrection.
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