Reply #96: Let's see... [View All]

[quickesst]

a few things Abe had to say about it.

'I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it now exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.'

"The fact is that the cannon had been booming and the wounded groaning for almost eighteen months before Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. During all that time the Radicals and the Abolitionists had urged him to act at once, storming at him through the press and denouncing him from the public platforms.

"Once a delegation of Chicago ministers appeared at the White House with what they declared was a direct command from Almighty God to free the slaves immediately. Lincoln told them that he imagined that if the Almighty had any advice to offer He would come direct to headquarters with it, instead of sending it around via Chicago."

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and 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 the others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the coloured 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 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 believe doing more will help the cause."

There were four slave owning states in the Union, and Lincoln was afraid of losing them to the South if he revealed his Emancipation Proclamation too early. He was not won over by compassion for the black race by any means. His Emancipation Proclamation was a tool to help him win the war. Period.

And the rebel flag was created because of the similarity to the Union flag. Soldiers on both sides were killing each other. These things are easier to find when you're standing on level ground, and not looking down. Thanks.
quickesst