# XIX explained — No Treason

> Chapter companion for No Treason by Lysander Spooner.

## What happens

The chapter exposes the true motives behind the Civil War, arguing that Northern merchants and manufacturers lent money for the war not out of love of liberty or justice, but to monopolize Southern markets and maintain industrial control. It claims that the lenders of 'blood-money' now use the government as a tool to extort payment through taxation and tariffs, imposing industrial and commercial slavery on both North and South. The chapter dismisses cries of abolishing slavery, saving the country, preserving the union, and establishing a government of consent as transparent frauds, asserting that the war was a scheme of robbery and murder to enslave the people.

## Themes in this chapter

### Economic Exploitation and War Profiteering

The chapter details how Northern merchants and lenders used the war to secure monopolies and extort payment through taxation and tariffs.

### Hypocrisy of the North

The North's claims of abolishing slavery and preserving liberty are exposed as frauds masking their true motive of economic domination.

### Political Slavery

The chapter argues that the war and subsequent government impose industrial and commercial slavery on all people, North and South.

## Character check-ins

### these men

Northern merchants and manufacturers who lent money for the war to secure monopolies and control Southern markets.

### Congress

Described as a mere tool of the blood-money lenders, unable to resist their demands.

### the Rothschilds

Implied as part of the blood-money loan-mongers who control the government.

### a man

The chief murderer of the war, acting as the organ of the blood-money lenders, calling for peace on their terms.

### Knaves

Those who cry out about abolishing slavery and saving the country to hide their servility and crimes.

## Key lines

> And these Northern merchants and manufacturers, these lenders of blood-money, were willing to continue to be the accomplices of the slaveholders in the future, for the same pecuniary consideration.

Northern merchants and lenders were happy to keep helping slaveholders as long as they got paid.

_Highlights the mercenary motives of Northern elites._

> These⁠—and not any love of liberty or justice⁠—were the motives on which the money for the war was lent by the North.

The North lent money for the war solely for profit, not for freedom or fairness.

_Emphasizes the theme of economic exploitation over moral justification._

> In short, the industrial and commercial slavery of the great body of the people, North and South, black and white, is the price which these lenders of blood money demand.

The lenders of blood money demand that everyone, regardless of race or region, be enslaved industrially and commercially.

_Illustrates the concept of political slavery extending to all._

> The pretence that the 'abolition of slavery' was either a motive or justification for the war, is a fraud of the same character with that of 'maintaining the national honor.'

Claiming the war was about ending slavery is as fraudulent as claiming it was about national honor.

_Critiques the hypocrisy of the North's stated war aims._

> Their pretences that they have 'Saved the Country,' and 'Preserved our Glorious Union,' are frauds like all the rest of their pretences.

Their claims of saving the country and preserving the union are just as deceitful as their other claims.

_Reinforces the theme of hypocrisy and fraud in government rhetoric._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se/chapters/xix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se/chapters