There is simply no doubt that, had he lived long enough, Lincoln would have supported the 14 Amendment, or something like it.
So clearly he gets some of the credit for any good it's done.
As for all those who have abused and twisted its language for their own nefarious purposes, none of that can be blamed on Lincoln, they must take responsibility for their own actions, and credit their own ideological forebears -- i.e., Marx, Lenin, Stalin, etc...
Let me cite an analogy: slave-holders and their defenders often claimed the Bible condones slavery, but that is a grave misreading.
In fact, the Bible consistently and strongly opposes slavery for God's people, and Christians believe that anyone who's accepted Christ -- including slaves -- are among God's people.
So the Bible cannot be blamed for slavery of Christians, any more than Lincoln can be blamed for misuse of the 14th Amendment.
That is not necessarily true. Lincoln said some things so degrading to Blacks that it ought to make most Union Apologists blush, and perhaps even be a little ashamed.
So clearly he gets some of the credit for any good it's done.
And what good has it done? I have become so bombarded with examples of the bad things that it has done, that I haven't done much contemplation regarding the good things that it has done. What are they?
As for all those who have abused and twisted its language for their own nefarious purposes, none of that can be blamed on Lincoln, they must take responsibility for their own actions, and credit their own ideological forebears -- i.e., Marx, Lenin, Stalin, etc...
Because someone who's most famous speech cites the occasion of Independence "four score and seven years ago" in support of his efforts to stamp it out, is not the sort of fellow who twists meanings?