Well, whoever wrote this speech had not yet lost the capacity for introspection.
I think a lot of what pushes this debate beyond the bounds of courtesy and reason is the sense some of us have that the other side is deifying or demonizing someone.
I have the impression that Lincoln liked Stephens -- at least for a while. We can imagine that maybe he saw something good there. Why not?
I know that among people with whome I disagree about some important things, there is much to like and even to admire. And among people many of whose opinions and actions strike me as excellent, there is usually at least something to reprehend, sometimes a LOT that is troubling.
Stephens could be wrong about a lot and still be right about a lot. Lincoln could be right about a lot and still wrong about a lot. It's kind of silly to have to say this, but I hope it will tend to soften that accusations that one group is deifying Lincoln while another is demonizing the South.
I think the issues are too big for that kind of simple-mindedness.