I say that since academic/popular consensus is firmly on Lincoln’s side, and Lincoln has been set in stone as a national hero, let the Southern apologists have their fun. They’ve got some points. Lincoln had his dark side. If people like DiLorenzo stretch the truth, not many will listen. His ilk have that whole slavery stigma to overcome, which is a losing prospect.
Lincoln really didn’t care about slavery one way or the other - he stated so - until he realized he could use it for political gain. He supported the original 13th amendment - The Corwin amendment. Read it.
The US had legalized slavery for over 200 years, north and south. Lincoln advocated an amendment that would have made slavery permanent and irrevocable. Almost 80% of the changes made by the Confederate Constitution were for less taxes, less big government, and the elimination of pork and government subsidies.
the TRUTH is however that he was a "clay-footed, plaster saint", who was ANYTHING but decent/moral/honest. PLUS he was by the standards of ANY era, a stone racist & anti-semite.
in point of fact, he was about the same variety of POTUS as "wee willie klintoon" was. EITHER would say and/or do anything (no matter how immoral/dishonest) to GET AHEAD. ANYTHING!
free dixie,sw
1.)What year did the war start?
2.)A:When was the emancipation proclamation issued B:and for what states?
If you answer the second question with a date after the war started, and answered part B only the states that seceded from the Union, then you have to ask yourself: How could this war have started over slavery if slavery was still legal when the states seceded and the northern slave states were allowed to keep their slaves?
I realize that you will spin your answers and try to justify Mr. Lincoln but in reality, he was a tyrant and the north were oppressors, pure and simple.