"Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable,—a most sacred right—a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world. Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people that can, may revolutionize, and make their own, of so much of the territory as they inhabit."
Do you agree, or disagree?
I agree with what Lincoln wrote. But I don't believe it means what you believe it means.
Reasonable, honorable, and prudent people seek resolution to problems. Intemperate or dishonest people seek advantage. Lincoln's invocation of our natural rights is tempered with the recognition that reasonable people exhaust all avenues before they resort to rebellion. He also acknowledges the reality that such ventures do not have guaranteed outcomes and that opposing parties may be willing to exercise their natural rights as well.
In other words, on the doctrine of secession they promoted a "Living Constitution."
Wrong.
May as well throw the Constitution in the trash can. May as well throw the Constitution in the trash can.
No thanks.
Those are Lincoln's words when he was a lowly congressman:
"Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable,—a most sacred right—a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world. Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people that can, may revolutionize, and make their own, of so much of the territory as they inhabit." [Speech in United States House of Representatives: The War with Mexico, January 12, 1848, in Roy P. Basler, "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln Vol 1." Rutgers University Press, 1953, p.438]
Those words mean exactly what they say, but they do not say what Lincoln meant. Lincoln's definition of "power" was the way Lincoln defined the word at the time.
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>>rockrr wrote: "Reasonable, honorable, and prudent people seek resolution to problems. Intemperate or dishonest people seek advantage. Lincoln's invocation of our natural rights is tempered with the recognition that reasonable people exhaust all avenues before they resort to rebellion. He also acknowledges the reality that such ventures do not have guaranteed outcomes and that opposing parties may be willing to exercise their natural rights as well."
Lincoln had no respect for anyone but himself. A million lives killed and/or ruined testify to his supreme arrogance and lust for power.
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>>Kalamata wrote: "In other words, on the doctrine of secession they promoted a "Living Constitution."
>>rockrr wrote: "Wrong."
My words are absolutely correct, and you cannot present anything that proves them wrong.
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>>Kalamata wrote: "May as well throw the Constitution in the trash can. May as well throw the Constitution in the trash can."
>>rockrr wrote: "No thanks."
It appears you already have.
Mr. Kalamata