I’m trying to find a quote from the Civil War. It was a confederate politician saying that his constituents would call for war, vote for war, send their sons to die in the war, but get indignant if asked to contribute one cent of their money for the cause. Any ideas?
Jefferson Davis said “If the Confederacy fails, there should be written on its tombstone: Died of a theory” although that refers more to failing to
Build a strong centralized government and command to win the war.
I known I have heard that quote somewhere or at least something very simular to it.
I think it was said in response to slave owners moving the slaves to Texas late in the war to avoid having to give any of them to the war effort.
I think it was mentioned in Ken Burns documentary the Civil War or in Shelby Foote book a lot which made it into the documentary in the first place.
Perhaps you are thinking of the quote by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, who said, “These people have given their sons freely, but it is folly to talk to them about a Negro or a mule.” At the time, Johnston was trying to free up men for combat in the army by hiring slaves from local planters to act as cooks, teamsters, etc. He got no where in his efforts, despite the fact he was trying to save the state of Tennessee from disaster, not to mention protect Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.