Southern Rose [Gone with the Wind]

Occasionally, he wondered what kind of man that lucky and unlucky Hastings was. Josephine was too young when she first married, and she might not understand anything. Did she know what "love" was?Does Hastings love her?Does she now know what "love" is?

Obtaining a beauty is certainly a beautiful thing, but if you can also obtain her heart, it can be considered a "victory".

In fact, he thought, he did not quite understand what "love" was, nor did he know whether Josephine loved him or not.

In his opinion, if he wants to marry her, it must be love. He desperately wants her, from body to heart.

"Get married early." He suddenly said without thinking.

"No, mother said that it would be shameful if the time was short."

He couldn't help being a little anxious, "I don't care, and you don't need to care." He stood up, walked up and down in front of her a few times, and suddenly stopped in front of her, "Do you care what others say?"

"I don't really care, but I can't ignore my mother's opinion." She said softly, "Please be patient for a few months for me."

He knelt on the floor in front of her, held her hand, and kissed the back of her hand lightly, "For you, I can endure these months. My God! It's too long!"

Josephine smiled and reached out to caress his face, "Thank you."

Appropriate refusal is a "means". If you pay too much and too fast, you will not cherish the convenience if you feel that you "get" it too easily.No matter what you do, treat everyone the same.Even for Victor, she wouldn't say yes to the child the first time he "asked".Men are just older children, they only know how to take, and you have to let them understand that if you only take but don't pay, you won't get anything in return.

The same goes for things like intimate contact. This is not the era when later generations experienced "sexual freedom" and "sexual liberation". The law does not even recognize a de facto marriage after elopement, simply because the marriage was not concluded with the consent of the parents.

Election canvassing is often seen on the streets of New York and Boston. Northern capitalists and bankers support the Republican candidate Lincoln. Lincoln was born as a lawyer, good at speeches, and has a very credible face.

On one occasion Philip took Josephine to a dinner given in honor of Mr. Lincoln, subtitled to raise money for the campaign fund.The vast majority of the audience was male, and very few were present with their wives, and only Tarente was present with his fiancée. Although the gentlemen were quite disapproving, they didn't say anything because of their "gentlemanly demeanor".

Josephine's southern accent is very eye-catching, and when she donated $1000, the northerners at the same table were surprised.

A banquet with a strong political purpose is "interesting" at the beginning, but after experiencing it once, it will feel "just mediocre".Lincoln's opinion on whether slavery should be abolished was very vague, but he always clearly insisted on the purpose of "North and South must be unified". Of course, the northern capitalists also supported unification and did not support secession. Southern slave owners wanted to get rid of the control of the federal government. Amount of taxes, so shouted "state rights."

Of course, differences in political opinions can easily lead to family conflicts, and Josephine and Philip are unified in this regard.

That's why Josephine, a southern lady, became a special character.

The day after the banquet, Philip took Josephine out again, this time to the office of the president of a Wall Street bank.

Abraham Lincoln was talking softly with several older gentlemen, when he saw Philip brought a lady in, he immediately stood up, "Hello, Mr. Talent."

"Hello, Mr. Lincoln. This is my fiancée, Miss Robillard. The Robillard family has lived in Savannah for half a century and is a well-known local family."

Josephine stretched out her hand first, "Hello, Mr. Lincoln."

"Hello, Miss Robillard." The future president introduced her to the older gentlemen, and finally to the young boy who opened the door. "This is the dog, Robert."

The eldest son of the Lincoln family was only 16 years old at the time. He didn't look much like his father. He was a handsome boy with a round face.

"Good day, Miss Robillard, Mr. Talent."

"I invite you here to hear how women from wealthy families in the South view the issue of 'state rights'." Lincoln said with a serious expression.

Josephine was amazed that men in this day and age did not take women's opinions seriously. "Women have no say in men's decisions."

"But their opinions influence men's decisions."

"You're right." She pondered for a moment. At home, because her mother, Emile, was not born in the United States, she was not as keen on "state rights" as those American wives. "The wives think that a stable life is the most important thing. It is best not to change anything, and it is best," she smiled. "The Republican candidate cannot be elected."

Robert Lincoln glared at her angrily.

Lincoln smiled, "Yes, yes, you are quite right. Those senators from the southern states in Washington are always clamoring for 'state rights'. What do you think of 'state rights'?"

"I don't understand that. What I understand is that the south is an agricultural economy, and the north is an industrial economy. It is inevitable that the industrial economy will surpass the agricultural economy. Britain has succeeded. No matter which party is in power, it will ultimately serve the economy. Who can— —I support whoever’s policy can bring stronger economic capabilities to the United States. But I am not an ordinary southern woman, and my opinions cannot represent them.”

"Can you understand what the big landowners of the South are saying?" asked another gentleman.

"Yes. Slavery can guarantee the income of large, medium and small slave owners, so they are unwilling to give up slavery, but they are stupid. If slaves cannot become free people, the southern states will lose half or even more than half of their voters. Turnout is about ballot counting, right? So Southern states would be at an electoral disadvantage. I don’t see why they don’t see that.”

Lincoln and several gentlemen glanced at each other, and then Lincoln said: "It's not that they can't see this, but they are confident that they can get the majority of votes."

Well, this makes sense, the current president, James Buchanan, is a Democrat and the spokesperson for the slave owners in the South. The Democrats and slave owners in the southern states simply don't believe that they will lose this time.

"What about you? Are you confident you can win?"

This question was direct and sharp, and Lincoln couldn't answer it directly. He pondered for a moment, "What do you think?"

"You will win, but if you become president, you will face war."

Lincoln exchanged glances with the gentlemen again, "In your opinion, war is inevitable?"

"I don't want to go to war, but the southern states will—you already know that, don't you? I don't understand why you're asking me. Southern women don't even have the right to vote. Why do you think we treat men Does the decision have veto power or suggestion power? It’s like—like some large wars in Europe, such as the Crimean War, don’t the participating countries know the casualties and economic losses caused by the war?”

"I know, I know." Lincoln smiled wryly, "But the Crimean War took place outside of Russia, Britain, and France. The domestic economies of these major participating countries will not be affected much. Please believe me Miss, I don’t want to go to war either, but I must prepare in advance.”

If the Democrats win the election, there will be no war; if the Republicans win the election, there will be a war.Lincoln and his think tanks have already realized that, but if a war is fought in the country, the economy will definitely decline. This is unavoidable. The previous War of Independence caused the US economy to retreat for at least 20 years.

On the return carriage, Josephine thought about it and asked, "Lincoln is basically sure that he will be elected, right?"

"At least he got all the votes in the northern states."

"I don't understand how the votes are counted, but I understand what he means. He just wants to confirm whether the South will really go to war immediately after he is elected, or make a gesture of going to war."

"I think so."

"Politics sucks!"

"War is the most boring thing, and it affects my business." Philip was very worried. "Let's get married early. Let me take you out of the country for your honeymoon and come back in a year."

"Is marriage related to your business?" After thinking about it, he asked, "What month do you vote?"

"October."

"There are still many months, and he can be sure that he will win now?"

"The last Republican got 33% of the vote, and Buchanan got 45%. This time he just needs to get more than 33% of the vote."

"I don't understand, what about 67% of the votes?"

"There are two candidates for this Democratic Party, which will split the vote."

"Complicated. Why do Democrats have two candidates?"

"One in the south and one in the north."

"Has there ever been a situation where one party puts forward two candidates before?"

"It seems not."

"Maybe you Republicans managed to get the Northern Democrats to come up with another candidate, and that would split the vote?"

"Then I don't know."

Josephine smugly said, "It must be so! You crafty Republicans!"

Philip smiled and did not refute.

Robillard's family is of course a Democrat, but John is a big farmer who is content with the status quo, Emile is the daughter of a French nobleman who doesn't understand politics at all, Charles is insensitive and not very interested in politics, and the only one who is interested in Josephine, who is somewhat interested in politics, is more concerned with making money.

There are members of the Talent family in Washington who are in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Speaking of which, it is not impossible to become a congressman, but of course they are from the northern region.As far as the southern region is concerned, there are currently no vacancies for members of the Georgia State Council, and they will have to wait until after the presidential election to start moving for the seat of parliamentarians, and Charles has already left to run a railway company.