[Durus]

Is that where Lincoln placed emphasis? He placed the idea of a united country over that of his neighbors to the south. One could make an argument that it was representative of the struggle between agriculture and industrialization. I could go on about Lincoln but it's too easy to find quotes where he all but contradicts other quotes he made. The safest thing to say about Lincoln was that he was a politician before anything else.

[ninenot]

Lincoln acted to free slaves based on his morally certain understanding of the value of men, as reflected in the comment quoted by Willie Green.

I've read all the arguments about the Constitutionality of Lincoln's action, and am fully aware that he declared war to 'preserve the Union,' not "to free the slaves."

Of course, one can also postulate, defensibly, that he REALLY wanted to 'free the slaves,' and used 'the Union' as an excuse which was acceptable to Northern interests.

In either case, the moral axiom must stand and must be defended. Labor has priority over capital. If you don't agree, that's fine: but you cannot be a Conservative and believe otherwise.