Dallas Daily Herald Published Truth About Southern Secession

By Jean Ann Ables-Flatt   July, 2018

To: Dallas Morning News Editor

As a professional genealogist, I research old newspapers. The Dallas Daily Herald on 12 January 1865, near the end of the Civil War published the results of a large public meeting in Dallas. Among the resolutions proposed to be sent to the Texas Legislature:

That it will be well for the people of the North to understand, even at this late day, that the Southern States did not secede from the Union upon any question such as the mere preservation of the slave property of their citizens; but, being free and sovereign States, they were resolved to preserve their freedom and their sovereignty. They were free to govern themselves as they, and not others, saw fit. They were free to change their government, to erect a new one, and to make whatever alliances they should choose.  And after nearly four years of arduous war, these States are still unwavering in their resolution to preserve their freedom and their sovereignty with which all else is valueless.

These contemporary words straight from “the horse’s mouth”, negate those who say Southern historians that believe the War was fought over States Rights are rewriting history.  Perhaps they are the ones who are rewriting history.

Jean Ann Ables-Flatt, Professional Genealogist

Note: Mrs. Ables-Flatt sent this to the Dallas Morning News Editor but they would not publish it