Kommentar: “That the true cause of the conflict was the antagonism between the spirit of Federalism and the theory of ‘States’ Rights’ is very clearly explained in the following pages, and the author exactly expresses the feeling with which most Englishmen regard the question of Secession, when he implies that had he been a New Englander he would have fought to the death to preserve the Union, while had he been born in Virginia he would have done as much in defence of a right the South believed inalienable.” (from the introduction).