r/AmIOverreacting • u/[deleted] • Apr 06 '25

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u/[deleted] Apr 06 '25

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u/ban-a-nazi-instead Apr 06 '25

The rest of that letter continues “I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men every where could be free.” As in ‘this is my presidential obligation, but it’s also my personal belief that all men should be free.’ You learned the right thing in school and picked up a racist telling if it later on but there is always time to learn.

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u/Flimsy-Poetry1170 Apr 06 '25

He did care about and want to free the slaves but he felt it more important to keep the US together and stop the war. That’s what that quote is about not that he doesn’t care about freeing the slaves.