This is spurious quote created by Benjamin Butler, a known and notorious liar.
Racial equality and integration of White and Black as equals weren't considered real options in 19th century America. For at least about 35 years, Americans have accepted the equality of Black and White as a matter of course. That wasn't the case for 19th century Americans. It was something that had to be proven to them, and even then few would accept it. For Lincoln, the participation of Blacks in fighting units was this sort of eye-opening experience. How far he would have gone in the direction of equality is a matter of contention, but most Americans either didn't have such an eye-opener, or rejected equality nevertheless.
David Donald, Lincoln's biographer notes that Lincoln was never in favor of forced colonization. It was, rather, something that he thought African-Americans would embrace if it were properly explained to them. When they didn't, and chose instead to stay and fight for their freedom, Lincoln had to reassess his convictions and assumptions. Donald also notes that for all practical purposes, government support of colonization schemes withered after 1863. Montgomery Blair, the Postmaster General, was an ardent proponent of colonization, but no real resources or effort were devoted to the plan after the Emancipation Proclamation.
I didn't know that, I'll take your word for it and won't use it anymore. Why would General Butler make that up? The other colonization quotes are correct, though, and there are many more I did not include.
Racial equality and integration of White and Black as equals weren't considered real options in 19th century America. For at least about 35 years, Americans have accepted the equality of Black and White as a matter of course. That wasn't the case for 19th century Americans. It was something that had to be proven to them, and even then few would accept it.
Agreed. 100 percent.
For Lincoln, the participation of Blacks in fighting units was this sort of eye-opening experience. How far he would have gone in the direction of equality is a matter of contention, but most Americans either didn't have such an eye-opener, or rejected equality nevertheless.
Here we differ. I know there are a number of historians that claim that's what Lincoln was doing, and provide quotes where they say that's what he "meant", but I just don't see that in his words. What I see is a man desperate to win a war, both by subverting the enemies' labor resources and by strengthening his own troops. Even as a draft of the EP sat on his desk he wrote to Horace Greeley:
"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union."
Lincoln's use of black troops and the EP were just tools in winning the war, as far as I can tell. If you know of quotes that clearly state otherwise, please post them. I have seen quotes dealing with their acceptance as soldiers by others, but there was nothing in those quotes that escaped those boundaries. There is the reference that blacks should have rights and the freedom to excercise them, but he said the exact same thing when he would advocate colonization and that the two races were not equal and should be seperated. He stated that separation was the only way that blacks could achieve true liberty and excercise those rights. Otherwise, he believed, they would be dominated by 'superior' whites. His belief they should be able to excercise those rights in that manner was a basis of his opposition to slavery. It had always gone hand in hand with colonization. Harsh by today's standards, but not by the standards of the day. Historical context is everything.
David Donald, Lincoln's biographer notes that Lincoln was never in favor of forced colonization. It was, rather, something that he thought African-Americans would embrace if it were properly explained to them. When they didn't, and chose instead to stay and fight for their freedom, Lincoln had to reassess his convictions and assumptions.
He did support voluntary colonization, but it certainly seemed to be his intention to talk as many as possible into it. As to the second point, I know many historians assert that, but I haven't seen any real proof, but I will admit I am not a Lincoln biographer or expert. I don't doubt that he was willing to accept some as full citizens in the end, the ones for whom he advocated the possibility of voting rights a few days before his assassination. But for the masses of ex-slaves, I've never seen where he had let go of his earlier thoughts. If he was going to make distinctions in which ones were granted such rights, what was his intent for the rest? It was the radical republicans that pushed through the citizenship and voting rights for all blacks. Although certainly at least a moderate by the days standards, Lincoln was seen as an "arch-conservative" and a hindrance to black advancement by the radicals, who eventually took over the party and pushed through their program regarding black rights and citizenship. Don't misunderstand me, I've stated many times on other threads I don't consider Lincoln evil for his race views, they actually were quite decent by the standards of the day. My beef is with those historians who attempt to grant Lincoln the race views and ambitions of the radicals (or more), which he just did not have.
Donald also notes that for all practical purposes, government support of colonization schemes withered after 1863. Montgomery Blair, the Postmaster General, was an ardent proponent of colonization, but no real resources or effort were devoted to the plan after the Emancipation Proclamation.
During 1864, the radicals had solidified their influence, and opposed colonization efforts, the primary reason congressional fund allocations stopped ($600,000 had been set aside for 1863 IIRC). There were still many republicans and democrats who preferred it, but not enough to get resolutions past the radical's voting blocks. Lincoln had repeatedly stated during the first years of the war that colonization was his goal, and he even advocated a constitutional amendment for that purpose before congress in December 1862, right before finalizing the EP. Most people don't know it, but the EP itself was tied to colonization. We all read the "final" draft of 1-1-63, but what is lost on most people is the first sentence: "Whereas, on the twentysecond day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:" - He then goes on to repeat the war measure to be inflicted on the Southern states that had not surrendered by the deadline stated in the first release, that deadline being the date of the "final" proclamation when he actually puts it into effect. The two documents are really connected more than historians wish to admit. One of the "other things" included in the september proclamation were statements of purpose, one of which was this: "...and that the effort to colonize persons of African descent with their consent upon this continent, or elsewhere, with the previously obtained consent of the governments existing there elsewhere, will be continued." I have seen at least one quote where Lincoln later references this part of his proclamation, but unfortunately I couldn't find it tonight.
If you know of quotes given later that clearly show his abandonment of his support for colonization, I would appreciate seeing them. I'm no expert on Lincoln and will be the first to admit it, so don't think I'm saying they don't exist. The other poster has provided many quotes, but he often ascribes to their words meanings which are either contradicted within the same quote, or are stretched beyond plausability. History is a recreation with me, and I am always willing to learn.
also, when are you going to start telling the TRUTH about that clay-footed secular saint, who you kow-tow to every time you post DRIVEL & BILGEWATER about lincoln?
lincoln, "the great bloodspiller", HATED catholics,jews,mixed-bloods, indians (LIKE ME!),irish bogtrotters,latinos & anyone else who was NOT a WASP!
that is the TRUTH!
FRee dixie,sw