[Non-Sequitur]

You want to end slavery in your country. Do you do it by the sword, or the pen?

Obviously the pen is preferable. But in the U.S. impossible. There were 16 slave states in the U.S., 18 free states. Since there was absolutely no interest among the slave states in ending slavery by any means, compensated or otherwise, the chance of getting an amendment through the Congress was zero. In order to get it through Consitutional convention it would have taken 38 free states. Do the math, that's 64 total states. Lincoln could add, he knew that he could not end slavery. But he could try and halt the expansion. Which is what he advocated and which is what the South saw as threatening. So they rebelled. And they chose war to further their aims. Lincoln waged the war they forced upon him.

But fine, you back him up, I don't.

Facts back up Lincoln better than I can.

[spacecowboynj]

Obviously the pen is preferable. But in the U.S. impossible.

O spare me! In America the pen is always possible in terms of one half of the country not killing 1/4 of each other, especially in 1850. The anti-war protests in the North were HUGE! They involved riots and the murder of children! Booth himself was a northern!

You want to end this massive institution in the United States. An institution the Founders struggled over but ultimately gave their blessing too just a generation earlier! Come on!!!!!