Tyranny is helpful, especially when voting against tyranny

May 27, 2011 12:19 PM

On May 23, 1861, Spotsylvania County, Virginia voted 1323 - 0 in favor of succession from the Union. Historian John Hennessy provides an explanation of how that vote came to be a perfect 100% in favor of succession. So people rebelling against "Northern tyranny" themselves used tyranny to rig a vote that was undoubtedly going to go overwhelmingly in their favor anyway?
posted by COD (22 comments total)

Secession?
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 12:22 PM on May 27, 2011

Vote rigging -- look away, Dixieland.
posted by orthogonality at 12:23 PM on May 27, 2011

So people rebelling against "Northern tyranny" themselves used tyranny to rig a vote that was undoubtedly going to go overwhelmingly in their favor anyway?

I'm shocked, shocked.
posted by kmz at 12:24 PM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Damn Northern Trannies!

Oh, wait...
posted by mmrtnt at 12:27 PM on May 27, 2011

As I lifelong Virginian, may I say that Virginia still sucks.

(Absolutely gorgeous state physically,though.)
posted by Benny Andajetz at 12:28 PM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

As I a lifelong Virginian...
posted by Benny Andajetz at 12:28 PM on May 27, 2011

Well it's not like the Slaveowner's Rebellion was about any sort of rights in the first place, so this is right in keeping Iii
posted by happyroach at 12:31 PM on May 27, 2011

And then there was the Free State of Winston, an Alabama county which tried (kinda) to secede from the Confederacy and join the Union during the Unholy War of Northern Aggression. I think a couple of counties in Louisiana did the same, though my google-fu fails me.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 12:35 PM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think a couple of counties in Louisiana did the same, though my google-fu fails me.

My ancestors were slaughtered on their front porches for being anti-slavery Unionists.

Poor French and Spanish Catholics in South Louisiana didn't have much fight in 'em in the first place, much less for the right of Anglos to own human property.
posted by The Giant Squid at 12:40 PM on May 27, 2011

So you could say the vote.....succeeded?

_{*Puts on sunglasses.* YEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!}
posted by schmod at 12:42 PM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

And then there was the Free State of Winston, an Alabama county which tried (kinda) to secede from the Confederacy and join the Union during the Unholy War of Northern Aggression. I think a couple of counties in Louisiana did the same, though my google-fu fails me.

Well, there was also West Virginia...
posted by kmz at 12:46 PM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

Tyranny of the majority seems to be a part of the South to this day.
posted by TedW at 12:57 PM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Hey there, that's my hometown! I really didn't realize that the North won the war until I saw Grant Park in Chicago, and wondered by I never heard of that guy before. Growing up with Robert E. Lee Elementary School and Blue & Grey Parkway will do these things to you.
posted by soma lkzx at 1:18 PM on May 27, 2011

I currently live in Spotsy. I can assure you that there are still people here who take pride in that vote on May 23, 1861.
posted by COD at 1:24 PM on May 27, 2011

I think a couple of counties in Louisiana did the same, though my google-fu fails me.

Western North Carolina/Eastern Tennessee was a hotbed of Union sympathizers and Confederate deserters, although I don't think there was any attempt to formally secede from the Confederacy and return to the Union.
posted by Rangeboy at 1:28 PM on May 27, 2011

So people rebelling against "Northern tyranny" themselves used tyranny to rig a vote that was undoubtedly going to go overwhelmingly in their favor anyway?

It seems like you are still upset over the civil war.
posted by smackfu at 1:38 PM on May 27, 2011

//It seems like you are still upset over the civil war.//

Reading comprehension fail my friend. That was an ironic observation on the fact that people that thought they were rebelling against tyranny felt they needed to use tyranny just to get their rebellion off the ground. I was not questioning the research provided in the source post. Anyway, my family didn't even get to this country until well after the Civil War was over. I don't have emotional interest in it, just historical interest.
posted by COD at 1:51 PM on May 27, 2011

Was a joke.
posted by smackfu at 1:52 PM on May 27, 2011

So people rebelling against "Northern tyranny" themselves used tyranny to rig a vote that was undoubtedly going to go overwhelmingly in their favor anyway?

It was enough to enslave human beings, strip them of their culture, whip them, rape them and sell their children ... but this. The mind reels.
posted by Faze at 2:55 PM on May 27, 2011

Spotsylvania is heading into Northern Virginia territory (yeah, let's not get in a debate about what is and what's not NoVA, but my point is that Spotsy is not deep south Virginia).

I went to school in Farmville, where in Prince Edward County, where nearly 100 years later, this happened. That was still recent enough in the past when I was there that there were people in the town that were absolutely affected by those events.

I love Virginia. Well, parts of it (and obviously, living in Arlington, I'm pretty sheltered, since it's a county -- more or less -- of rich liberals). But I know this state has a very problematic history and it's one I struggle with. I love the place but not always the people (at least, not all of them).

I had a high school history teacher that said Richmond was one of the few places that would sell post cards of its own city burning like it was something to be proud of. I think that's a pretty good summary. I once said that Richmond is proud of the wrong things -- but more than that, it's proud that it's proud of the wrong things. Being proud of the wrong things is something Virginia does very, very well.

(And, by the way, John Brown is in my family tree. I'm not a direct descendent, but I still like mentioning it.)
posted by darksong at 3:42 PM on May 27, 2011

Western North Carolina/Eastern Tennessee was a hotbed of Union sympathizers...

There was a lot of Unionist activity in NE North Carolina too. Two or three counties there tried to secede from the whole damn war and have both sides leave them alone. It didn't work out.
posted by marxchivist at 4:36 PM on May 27, 2011

living in Arlington,

aka Occupied Northern Virginia
posted by IndigoJones at 10:32 AM on May 28, 2011