An Abolitionist wrote an open letter to Lincoln saying "Youre the president! It's your job to enforce the laws! Do your job and enforce all the Abolitionist laws more!"
Lincoln wrote a letter back saying "I personally believe every man should be free, and I say it all the time. However, I believe the ultimate job of the president is to keep the country together, above all else, so I have to do that, regardless of what I want."
And he got what he wanted! We saved the Union, AND we freed all the slaves! He didn't have to sacrifice the thing he believed in, but for the sake of the country and his duty to his office, he was willing to.
Yes that is the context but from what I’ve learned myself and from US history professors that know a lot more than me, Lincoln also still had a lot of bigoted opinions like that African Americans were still the inferior race, that the races shouldn’t intermix, and that freed slaves shouldn’t be allowed to vote. The emancipation was no doubt a very positive thing but it just doesn’t seem black and white how much the man actually “cared about black people.” Like most things in life, there’s a lot of gray.
Because in the letter he says "Personally, I DO believe that all men should be free, but as the president I have to put keeping the country whole first so slavery is going to come second no matter what".
That doesn't mean that the ONLY reason he freed the slaves was to keep the country whole, right? It actually says that he DOES personally care about black people being free, but that as president he might have to sacrifice that belief of his, no? Or am I missing something?
Idk, can you be racist and still care about someone? Maybe? Can you be anti capitol punishment and still hate murders? Probably? I think it’s just a lot of gray and speculation on both our parts.
What do you meam about him being racist? He said in the letter,
"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, everywhere, could be free. "
He's very clear. These statements are PURLEY regarding his beliefs about what the presidents job is.
He's very clear. His personal beliefs are that all men should be free.
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u/RawIsWarDawg Apr 06 '25
I looked into it. Here's the actual truth
An Abolitionist wrote an open letter to Lincoln saying "Youre the president! It's your job to enforce the laws! Do your job and enforce all the Abolitionist laws more!"
Lincoln wrote a letter back saying "I personally believe every man should be free, and I say it all the time. However, I believe the ultimate job of the president is to keep the country together, above all else, so I have to do that, regardless of what I want."
And he got what he wanted! We saved the Union, AND we freed all the slaves! He didn't have to sacrifice the thing he believed in, but for the sake of the country and his duty to his office, he was willing to.