The “Establishment” in 1860

The diverse group of patriots who contributed to the founding of the US in 1789 were able to use “balanced judgment”. But in the States, the legislatures became the “establishment” of “landed gentry”. The wealthiest land owners controlled the State legislatures and they were the slave-owners. Despite the fact that the majority of voters in the South were not slave-owners, these legislatures voted to secede and became the Confederate States of America. Those who owned large plantations exempted themselves from joining the Confederate Army, but were happy to send everybody else to fight their war. If secession had been determined by the voters, where would have been no Civil War.

The number of slave-owning families in Confederate States in 1860 was as follows:

 

Virginia 26%

North Carolina 28%

South Carolina 46%

Georgia 37%

Florida 34%

Alabama 35%

Mississippi 49%

Louisiana 29%

Tennessee 25%

Texas 28%

Arkansas 20%

Kentucky 23%

Missouri 13%

 

http://www.civil-war.net/pages/1860_census.html

 

The “establishment” continued to control our State and Federal legislatures ever since with mixed results. Today we have Democrats and Republicans, each with their own “establishments” and as long as we were marching to socialism, they functioned as a One-Party-System. They ignore the voters and cater to the special interests who contribute to their campaigns based on short-term issues. But sustaining a nation-state requires long-term considerations.

 

It has been said that “politics is for those who show up” and our voters continue to not show up.  State legislatures are easier to lock up, because they have managed to become invisible. But the damage they do is real. If you do show up, you are not welcomed unless you are identified as a “pre-registered establishmentarian”.

 

I have seen this at Republican Party Conventions to elect the GA GOP Chairman since 2013 “Reformers” got 40% of the delegate vote in 2013 and we got 45% of the vote in 2015 and 2017. We are encouraged that the Trump election will turn the “establishment” to elect a “reformer”. Individual races for State Senate and State Rep are more difficult for
reformers to win, because the attack by “establishment” candidates is relentless.

 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader