In every case where slavery was ended it was done through government intervention and in the face of strong opposition on the part of the slave owners themselves. The U.S. was the only area where the slave owners formed a large enough segment of the population where they were able to forment a rebellion in order to protect their institution from what they saw as threats to it.
Wasn't there an economic way to abolish slavery, even if it took just a little bit longer?
Regardless of when slavery was ended, the country would still be faced with the social problem of what to do with all those free blacks suddenly wandering around. The North didn't want them, free or slave. The South sure didn't want them as free men and women. It's hard to imagine what sort of solution could have been found peacefully.
"Regardless of when slavery was ended, the country would still be faced with the social problem of what to do with all those free blacks suddenly wandering around. The North didn't want them, free or slave. The South sure didn't want them as free men and women. It's hard to imagine what sort of solution could have been found."
I guess any sollution seems preferable to all the death and destruction, but I'm probably just living some pipe dream that there could have been any other way. If the North couldn't come up with any fair sollution for African Americans, then they are equally as culpable.
Lincoln was planning to ship them all back to Liberia, Africa.