Seattle
Everybody loves Lincoln. All across the political spectrum, the guy is worshiped without so much as a second thought. Problem is, the guy wasn’t the bastion of racial equality that many make him out to be. He also suspended the Constitution and habeus corpus, and waged war on a South that would have been forced to give up slavery no matter if the North won or not. The Civil War was a war of Southern Secession, one of economic, not moral purpose. The strongest voices against slavery, were in fact from within the South. Lysander Spooner, for example… I digress. Back to the racism bit…
I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races — that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.
— Abraham Lincoln (Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois, September 18, 1858; The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, pp. 145–146.)
Also:
I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.
Lincoln also promised a convention of Southern representatives that he would enshrine slavery in the Constitution if they would in turn agree not to secede. Little known facts…
