Giuseppe Garibaldi Credit Library of Congress
Even while the Civil War raged, slaves in Cuba could be heard singing, “Avanza, Lincoln, avanza! Tu eres nuestra esperanza!” (Onward, Lincoln, Onward! You are our hope!) – as if they knew, even before the soldiers fighting the war far to the North and long before most politicians understood, that the war in America would change their lives, and the world.
The secession crisis of 1860-1861 threatened to be a major setback to the world antislavery movement, and it imperiled the whole experiment in democracy. If slavery was allowed to exist, and if the world’s leading democracy could fall apart over the issue, what hope did freedom have? European powers wasted no time in taking advantage of the debacle. France and Britain immediately each sent fleets of warships with the official purpose of observing the imminent war in America. In Paris, A New York Times correspondent who went by the byline “Malakoff” thought that the French and British observers “may be intended as a sort of escort of honor for the funeral of the Great Republic.”
Spain, its fleets already in position in Havana, struck first that March, landing in the Dominican Republic and proclaiming that its former colony had returned to Spanish rule. Seeing no sign of resistance from the Lincoln administration, France, Spain and Britain met in…
First Night History 
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Interesting but shame on NYT for not being candid or blunt about Civil War. At one time, it was.
When NYT runs the Southern War Ultimatums, demanding the spread of slavery or promising war, let me know.
When NYT prints the speeches of Southern leaders bragging they were killing to spread slavery and promised endless killing and torture (yes, they tortured folks and bragged about it) to spread slavery to Pacific Ocean, let me know.
When NYT prints Jeff Davis speech claiming the Civil War would reunite the US as a large slave nation, let me know — with perpetual slavery of all people of color as the basis for the CSA.
When NYT publishes Lee’s slave ledgers and letters to and from bounty hunters, showing payments for kidnapped women — women they kidnapped in the North, let me know.
Until then. NYT should STFU about Civil War.
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Interesting to get your reaction. I don’t know enough about the Civil War to comment on your statements about the NYT but you’ve given me pause for thought. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
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Very interesting to see what was going on elsewhere in the world, during this long and significant war in the USA. Another good one, Sarah.
Best wishes, Pete,.
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Glad to hear that, Pete. Thanks.
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