"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the ***** should be denied everything."
2006-09-11 06:36:44 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Source: The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois" (September 18, 1858), pp. 145-146.
2006-09-11 06:37:10 · update #1
It appears that most of you are not correlating this to the "Bush lied. People died" mantra of the left and the definition of the word "lie".
In the future I will make my posts understandable for 7 years olds and all of you who graduated from a government sanctioned child abuse indoctrination center (public school).
2006-09-11 08:24:31 · update #2
No, because President Bush is the only president we've ever had. Everything that's ever gone wrong in the world was his fault. I think you'll find (Google it, that's where the truth is!) that Lincoln was actually Bush.
OMG now I feel dirty, just typing that. Ugh.
Great question.
2006-09-11 06:40:49 · answer #1 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the ***** should be denied everything."
Lincoln was trying to get elected. He was trying to explain in this instance that he had been misrepresented as being an abolitionist. He was explaining his true position on the issue of white supremacy.
I do not believe he was lying here. Lincoln only emancipated slaves that were not currently in U.S. controlled areas with his proclamation. This excluded Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, occupied northern Virginia, most of Tennessee and southern Louisiana. None of these areas were affected by the emancipation proclamation, and the slaves there remained as such unless they ran off or joined the Union army.
The proclamation was made in order to justify future liberation of slaves in confederate territory. Slaves were the single largest monetary asset of the confederacy and Lincoln was hitting them in the wallet.
Lincoln envisioned dealing with the aftermath of slavery by reintroducing the former slaves as colonist in Africa.
After his death, the constitution was amended by abolitionists which prohibited slavery, but not indentured servitude. Without the latter, there could be no military.
2006-09-11 14:59:25 · answer #2 · answered by Chronic Observer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh my
I believe - hope - Lincoln's views evolved from this. Read the Second Inaurgual - the passage inscribed (along with the Gettysburg Address) on the Lincoln Memorial. Stirring words.
As for "Bush lied, people died," war opponents would have an easier time merely arguing that his policies are wrong, or mistaken, or even foolish. A majority might even agree. But when they insist on saying Bush is dishonest, greedy, or evil, they paint themselves into a corner. They try to make some grand case for malevolent design, and they end up losing the argument. They hurt their own cause!
2006-09-11 13:44:59 · answer #3 · answered by American citizen and taxpayer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This statement is true. Lincoln, at that time in his life, believed that. As he grew older, he modified his position a bit, but he never fought the Civil War to end slavery. He was fighting to hold the Union together.
The Emancipation Proclamation was a tool of war. Although everyone thinks of Lincoln as fighting to end slavery, it wasn't so. In signing the Proclamation, Lincoln reduced the amount of available manpower in the south for farming, construction, etc. He was looking to cripple the south and it worked.
Before you condemn Lincoln for the statements you found, ask yourself if you believe in the same things now as you did ten years ago. People grow.
2006-09-11 13:48:38 · answer #4 · answered by loryntoo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What did Lincoln lie about?? I really don't know where your going with this. Honest Abe was just another politician trying to get votes. Charleston Illinois was settled by farmers from Kentucky and Tennessee. They was attracted too the hills and river bluffs. It reminded them of home. With their southern roots Lincoln talked that way too get some popularity.
2006-09-11 21:19:05 · answer #5 · answered by Slow Poke 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really. That Lincoln had racist views made him "normal" for that time period. And his freeing of the slaves in the Emancipation Proclamation can be explained away by a number of ulterior motives. It's not clear what the "lie" is here in your question. Are you suggesting that Lincoln said he was for freeing the slaves but, in reality, didn't think they should be free? Your quotation doesn't support such an argument. Besides, Lincoln's actions freed the slaves: who cares what his beliefs were?
Lincoln didn't claim that the South had weapons of mass destruction, mobile chemical labs, had made attempts to buy yellow cake uranium, had "links" to Al Qaeda that made the South an "imminent threat", etc. etc. etc. Bush' lies were not about his beliefs, but about false facts that he presented as real reasons to go to war in Iraq.
2006-09-11 13:45:47 · answer #6 · answered by Dave of the Hill People 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's funny...I've always used the Wbster dictionary definition of lied. It's been my experience that cons change the meaning of the word everytime Bush opens his mouth.
There was more to the Civil War than just slavery. Cons are the showcase of everything that is wrong with the american school system.
2006-09-11 13:40:36 · answer #7 · answered by darkemoregan 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Had the south won the war Lincoln would have been tried as a traitor to the Constitution
2006-09-11 13:48:33 · answer #8 · answered by neil r 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Using the 'liberal definition' of 'lied', what exactly are you suggesting was the 'lie' in this case? Let's also keep in mind, shall we, that Lincoln was a Republican. In fact, he was the first Republican president.
2006-09-11 13:40:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
well i think you live in the wrong country...
2006-09-11 13:39:59 · answer #10 · answered by idono 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋