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To: TexConfederate1861
OK...Stephens didn't say in his quote that "man" didn't have god-given rights, he said the "NEGRO" did not. This was a common belief, even held by Lincoln. The Founding Fathers certainly were not refering to slaves as "equals", when they wrote the Declaration of Independence, as many owned slaves themselves! I am quite sure you must realize that!

No, Lincoln did not think that.

He states that he might not have felt the Negro his equal in many areas, but that the Negro had the same rights as any other man, and the Declaration was directed to all men.

This view of the Declaration, that it was meant only for white men, was a recent view, one pushed by Taney and Douglas.

No Founder of this nation ever suggested that the Declaration did not mean that all men were equal before God.

That slavery existed was a burden that the Founders sought to end (blaming the British King for it) by limiting slavery's growth.

If you want Lincoln's views on this, I would be happy to give you the page numbers from his writings.

127 posted on 04/26/2005 4:44:30 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal. 4:16)
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To: fortheDeclaration

"No, Lincoln did not think that. "

Then he pulled a helluva lotta "Kerryism" in his speeches. The man made it VERY clear time and time again that he felt (or at least, for votes, he felt) that slavery should not be abolished entirely.


132 posted on 04/26/2005 5:02:14 AM PDT by MacDorcha (Where Rush dares not tread, there are the Freepers!)
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To: fortheDeclaration

Although I agree with you that SOME of the founding fathers may have felt that way, the prevailing thought at the time, was that negroes were not considered equal. Due to the fact that the MAJORITY of people north & south felt this way, I would think that if you had to make an assumption regarding the Declaration, that assumption would have to be that the Founders meant, white anglo-saxon types. Not just, by any means, but correct. Also, in the Speech, Lincoln made to the Illinois legislature, he certainly gave the impression he agreed with that belief...


137 posted on 04/26/2005 5:30:15 AM PDT by TexConfederate1861 (Still Free........Republic!)
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