President Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, Hear and Read his Views on Slavery
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- čas přidán 14. 01. 2015
- Listen to and read President Abraham Lincoln’s views of slavery in his response to New York Tribune Editor Horace Greeley who urged Mr. Lincoln to enforce existing laws and abolish slavery. The following year, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Narrator: Timelessreader1
Photographer: Timelessreader1
Text: The text of this letter, signed in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, is in the Public Domain.
i've thought for many years now that politician means 'LIAR', that conclusion came to me from understanding lincoln, but it fits many more after him.
the amount you have to actually swear and insult people continuously shows your lack of intelligence, understanding, and without doubt any class whatsoever. my argument (if you had bothered to open your mind as well as your mouth) is that the civil war had fought for nigh on 16 months before lincoln posted his letter to greeley, stating he had 'no interest' in freeing any slaves, and that his only aim was to continue the union.
the confederate forces fought to repel the invader from their homelands, the overwhelming majority of confederate troops did NOT hold any slaves whatsoever. although lincoln does say he is against slavery, he also states that the war was started to stop southern states seceding from the union, and not the great 'myth' that it was fought over slavery. he only broadened the union issue of slavery to weaken the southern cause at a time when the war was going badly for the northern invaders, who at that time feared international intervention would be their end
I can tell you've never read a decent biography of Lincoln.
@@neilpemberton5523 i can tell you've decided 'decent biography' means one that suited your conclusions.
Please, share with me your evidence that backs up your claims, you blowhard. I have plenty to back up my opinion.
I have told people this for years and years and years. From the Union standpoint, the Civil War was fought first and foremost to preserve the Union. Not to end slavery. That once the Confederate states voted to secede from the Union that that within itself was an provocation. Under no circumstances could the United States allow for that to happen. Bloodshed was now unavoidable. In fact Lincoln was willing to compromise by allowing Slavery to remain in the States where it already existed but not allow for its expansion if it meant less spilling of blood. The Confederate states had way more grievances against the federal government other than Slavery. Which is why despite Lincoln's pleas the Confederate states voted to secede anyway. Two sources which inspired my thinking. Written documents down at the Schomburg center in Harlem which our parents took their three children. And one great grandfather (born in 1874)who worked on the docks in Baltimore during the 19th to early 20th century. Befriending both former Union and Confederate soldiers.And then in my opinion the way the educational curriculum was and still is structured that the Civil war was fought solely to end slavery. Whether spoken or implied that the slaves themselves were responsible for the civil war. Thus the death and carnage that followed. Because it was fought solely on their behalf. And the elders of my great grandparents up to my parents generation being told that we deserved no empathy or the rights to full citizenship because our ancestors were responsible for the deaths of so many White people I mean that was one hell of a guilt trip to lay on a people for generations. The Civil War started in 1861 while the emancipation proclamation was drafted in 1863.And as my great grandfather said, as told by all of the Union soldiers. All new conscripts had to be told that the preserving of the Union was paramount. Because they were at first very angry that they were asked to sacrifice their lives for a people that at the time were considered of less value than a cow,chicken, pig or a horse.This mistaken belief of possibly dying to free slaves was the reason for the many draft riots around the country. Particularly in New York. I really feel that if any American teacher should ask any student, what was the main cause of the CIVIL WAR. The first correct response should be THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNION .And then to explain all the other causes after that.I myself will always honor all soldiers, Whether Black,White,Native American and yes even Mexican Americans who fought and died to PRESERVE THE UNION.
While I greatly admire Lincoln and appreciate the gunpowder keg he felt he was sitting on ... what ultimately forced his hand on the matter of slavery was England. England having already had abolished slavery and was considering recognizing the Confederacy but now could no longer support a Confederacy built in slavery.
01:30
This letter of Lincoln is constantly used to "prove" Lincoln cared little for freeing the slaves. Anyone who has read a biography of Lincoln which reveals his hatred of slavery knows Lincoln wanted to free every slave.
I will unpack its meaning to show it had a very specific political purpose, because, you know, Lincoln was a politician! Shocking I know!
Imagine you are a slaveholder in the summer of 1862, in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, or the western counties of Virginia. You want to support the Union cause, but you also want to keep your slaves (Yes, such people existed!). Lincoln is powerless to take your slaves because only confederate-supporting slaveholders are legally liable to lose their slaves. In the fall of 1861 Lincoln proposed gradual compensated abolition to members of the Delaware legislature. it was rejected. Since then all four Union-loyal slave states have rejected all Lincoln's proposals to set their slaves free. You are very confident you will keep your slaves even after the confederacy has been defeated, because your state legislature shows no sign of abolishing slavery
Then on August 22 1862 you read a public letter by Lincoln.
He writes "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it..." Lincoln is being disingenuous here, because between April and June he freed the slaves first in Washington DC and then in all US territories. But this is only the first part of a sentence. You read on to discern Lincoln's point.
He continues "....and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it...." You scoff quietly to yourself. No US president can have the authority to abolish slavery in any US state. No one except the radicals on the fringe of the Republican Party has seriously discussed a 13th amendment abolishing slavery. But Lincoln still hasn't finished his sentence. You read on.
Lincoln finishes his sentence "....and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." You decide this must be Lincoln's point, because he has freed some slaves already but can't touch slavery where the local population supports the Union cause. You wonder why Lincoln wrote such a convoluted sentence, instead of simply saying "If I can save the Union by freeing some slaves and leaving others alone, then I will do that." So why didn't he?
After the war it was easy to see what Lincoln was trying to do. He was underlining his commitment to saving the Union while disguising his wish to free all the slaves by presenting it as one of three possible options. He was at the SAME TIME addressing complacent Unionist slaveholders, impatient abolitionists, and Union soldiers suffering under their incompetent commanders. But his most immediate political need was to prepare the ground for the Emancipation Proclamation, which had to exempt loyal slaveholders at this crucial stage of the war.
The Republican Party as a whole had always aimed to undermine slavery rather than abolish it. True abolitionists were a minority even in the Republican Party until the last years of the Civil War. But there was little sign of any slave state wanting to abolish slavery even after over a year of bloody war. On July 12 1862 Lincoln convened a meeting of representatives from all the loyal slave states, and even included some from Unionist counties of Tennessee and Virginia. By a considerable majority the meeting voted down abolition in loyal slave states.
On July 13, the VERY NEXT DAY(!), Lincoln told two of his cabinet, his closest friend William Seward and the leakproof Gideon Welles, of his apparently(?) new intention to make an emancipation proclamation. This was a huge gamble. Lincoln needed to keep the allegiance of slaveholders in loyal states. If the war ended before all the slave states had abolished slavery, the cause of the war would not be killed off but would survive it.
Lincoln and moderate Republicans were not thinking about a 13th amendment, because they still hoped slavery would collapse in every slave state as a result of the war. As it turned out the 13th amendment was needed. And Lincoln's cautious approach was vindicated.
References:
"A Lincoln" by Ronald C White
"The Fiery Trial" by Eric Foner
"Freedom National" by James Oakes
His personal beliefs are his his letter states what he would do to save the UNION. Its messed up that black people who had no power are being used as a bargaining chip. 2022 to this day black people are blamed for the dam war. Its not about keeping the Union and have federal power be dominate the HISTORY says slavery OH the hate felt by white people to black after that is common knowledge. He USES black people as a MORAL REASON for the war when he could have been honest and stated its about the south thinking they can leave the union. MORAL AMERICA MY ARSE. American ain't ever been moral, do you think America gave a rats arse about any other ethnic group beside white people you are sadly mistaken because their next act was far more cruel the destruction of the Native American people. After they finished killing each other they destroyed the rest of the native people, does that sound like a MORAL awakening! We passed down lies in order to hide the truth. 2022 and if you try to say otherwise or teach the truth it will be flagged CRT. Senator Mcconell and Sentor Tom Cotton "we do not want to make little white children feel bad about the countries history". Tom cotton went as far as to say "slavery was necessary", no it was not it made a few people rich everyone else was poor and started a hate of people caught in individual lust for money and power...that is reality.