[WhiskeyPapa]

In 1858 Lincoln wrote: "I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races. I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people. There is a physical difference between the white and black races, which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality."

Big deal.

By 1865 he had changed his mind.

By any reasonable standard, Lincoln's position was far in advance of most people of the day.

Walt

[Held_to_Ransom]

Lincoln's primary concern was that the 200,000 Americans of African heritage would take out their rage on the illiterate whites of the south and abuse them terribly. After all, common sense told him that if the best white troops of the south couldn't stand up to them, how could the south demilitarized and without martial law possibly prevent them from doing it? There was no way, unless, of course, Americans of African heritage simply chose to be more Christian and behave in a more civilized manner than their white brothers. Given the extent of white outrages during the war, Lincoln had no reason to believe with certainty that this would happen.

[Natural Law]

So you are saying that Lincon's flip-flops on these issues makes him the Wesley Clark of the 19th century?

Lincoln said two completely contradictory things on the same subject. Believe what you will, but I think he lied on one or both occasions to get the votes he needed and his character was as resolute as Bill CLinton's.