[central_va]

<>Hey Jason, History quiz, who made the following statements regarding slavery?

My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union

[Paul Ross]

Properly read in its historical context, the text does not refute JasonC whatsoever. You see, the South didn’t care what he said as President, they already knew how he felt about slavery, and what he would ultimately do. Which, btw, he did. The emancipation declaration against the slave-holding states at war with the union was, thus, something of a Southern-induced self-fulfilling prophecy.

[awake-n-angry]

I would be interested in knowing the date and the context of this statement.

[Non-Sequitur]

Hey Jason, History quiz, who made the following statements regarding slavery?

The same man who closed his letter by saying, "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 opposed to Southern leaders who believed all black men everywhere should be slaves.