people from south Georgia, and all over the Deep South--

来自南佐治亚甚至整个南方腹地的人
it was the theory of a shrinking south.

都认为南方正在变小
And I really do believe

我确实相信
this is one of the most compelling arguments

这只是他们对于脱离联邦
they had about secession

作出的最有说服力的论据之一
and it's why they were able to muster enough folks

这就是为什么他们能够聚集起足够的人
to go with them in their revolution.

跟他们一起干革命
The theory of a shrinking south was the idea that

南方缩小的说法是
if the Republicans gained control of the federal government--

如果共和党得到联邦政府的支持
through patronage, through nominations to the Supreme Court,

通过提名并任命最高法院
through the much high numbers they had in the House of Representatives,

通过他们在众议院中占有的多数席位
and even now with California and so on,

甚至加利福尼亚