Here’s a book of evidence:
Father Abraham: Lincoln’s Relentless Struggle to End Slavery
by Richard Striner (Author)
“Here’s a book of evidence: Father Abraham: Lincoln’s Relentless Struggle to End Slavery”
I have not read the book so I ask: Does the book make the case that President Lincoln fought to free the slaves?
I wonder if that book includes Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley:
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/greeley.htm
‘As to the policy I “seem to be pursuing” as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.
‘I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be “the Union as it was.” If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to 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; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.
‘I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men every where could be free.
Yours,
A. Lincoln.