“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; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be a position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”
A. Lincoln
A. Lincoln had an evolving interpretation of the issue of slavery. He even thought that the slaves should be freed and shipped back to Africa. BUT - guess what....Lincoln regularly met with Frederick Douglass - who was a regular adviser to the President....and Lincoln ‘evolved’ to understand that the black slaves considered themselves Americans, didn’t want to ‘return to Africa’ - because America was their home...they wanted freedom and a chance for the American dream. Big change in his position from his earlier writings. (Check it out!)