Reply To: What is your most unpopular/controversial opinion or hot take?

Yserbius,
You’re exactly right though there’s an additional factor at play.
With Civil War looming the President called for January 4, 1861 to be a day of prayer, fasting & humiliation when all should go to their houses of worship to cry out to G-d that a solution is reached instead of war. The Rav gave a strongly Pro-Confederate speech (it’s available online).
New Orleans Jews being strongly Pro-Confederate wanted him as their Rabbi & made an offer.
At the same time Lincoln tired of all the headaches coming out of Baltimore when 1,000 Union soldiers marched in, declared Baltimore to be under Union occupation & Martial Law. They immediately started rounded up influential secessionists & Confederate supporters. The Rabbi fearing being thrown in jail for however long the Union felt, fled Baltimore for New Orleans.