Lincoln’s opinion of race was probably consistent with a majority of Americans opinions of race, at that time in our history.
I believe there were more abolitionists in the South than there were in the North. Also, Lincoln went complete authoritarian with his sacred union argument. More than likely slavery would have been peacefully eradicated without a civil war shortly anyhow like in many other non-muslim parts of the world. A credit to Lincoln was that he wanted the South to be forgiven and brought back into the Union without the punitive and exploitative Reconstruction era where corruption, hatred and resentment really took hold. The Radical Republicans in the North may have played a hand in his assassination for that sentiment. Although bankers in the Eastern establishment and or across the pond in London likely had strong feelings about Lincoln also.