Like Benning, Gordon defended slavery with vigor. In 1860, he argued that African slavery was “the Mightiest Engine in the universe for civilization, elevation, and refinement of mankind.” He told his fellow white Georgians to never apologize nor ever admit that slavery was wrong; instead, “take the position everywhere that it [slavery] is morally, socially, and politically right—and that it is, in truth, the hand-maid of liberty.” Although Gordon is not seen as a Fire-Eater like Benning, his biographer argued that he “fanned the flames of southern independence” to create a new country based
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