Abraham Lincoln And Slavery: Necessary Or Justified?

Even though he naively believed that white men were the supreme race, he was staunchly against slavery as an institution and felt that the Declaration of Independence included black persons. In the same debate, Lincoln goes on to state that he “[does] not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the Negro should be denied every thing” (Lincoln). He believed that ‘the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ as outlined in the Declaration of Independence, applies to all men, regardless of their color, ethnicity, or culture. This may be attributed to the fact that he had not had many encounters with Black slaves until when he was in his late teens, where it had a profound impact on him (Foner 8).

While admitting that he had no right to interfere with the institution of Slavery, Abraham Lincoln urged for the establishment of better strategies of handling the issue and solving the primary differences between the regions without necessarily having to secede. He believed that while different States had the rights to manage their affairs and recruit their army, seceding from the Union was not an

Southern states left the Union because they thought they had more power than the Federal Government. “Many Southerners favored secession as part of the idea that the states have rights and powers, which the federal government cannot legally deny”(Doc 5). This means that Southerners thought that the Federal Government could not deny their right to have slavery so they left. Southern states left the Union because Abraham Lincoln banned slavery and it was their only way to make a

As Bennett states in his article, Lincoln was opposed to the extension of slavery not out of compassion for suffering black people, but out of devotion to the interests of white people. In his Charlston speech, Lincoln stated, “I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black race, . . . I will say 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.” The speech itself shows that Lincoln was opposed to every aspect of the Emancipation Proclamation that he himself issued. Not only that, but Lincoln felt pressured to issue the Emancipation Proclamation by Radical Republicans who were pushing for it to be passed. Furthermore, if Lincoln had not issued the Proclamation, the congress would have done it. Lincoln did not want to give up his power as a president, and signed the document himself. In response to the proclamation, Bennett writes, Lincoln “freed” slaves where he had no power and left them in chains where he had power (page 137). In Lincoln and Colonization, by Richard Blackett, a historian of the abolition movement, The pressures of war forced his hand. As a result, the proclamation contained so many restrictions that observers questioned its effectiveness (page 20).

Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery was the belief that the expansion of it to Free states and new territories should be ceased and that it eventually be abolished completely throughout the country. He believed simply that

     What did Abraham Lincoln do and think regarding slavery during the Civil War? In Abraham's First Inaugural Address he states "I do but quote from one of those speeches when I declare that I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."" (Pg 53-54) Lincoln did not want the South to be afraid of his Republican Presidency either. That was why he made these statements at his Inauguration about slavery. Lincoln also talks about leaving the returning of fugitive slave clause alone, and keeping it in the Constitution. He

Abraham Lincoln always demonstrated moral opposition to the acts of slavery both in public and private. He wanted to bring about the extinction of slavery through inhibiting its expansion into the USA territory through proposing the compensated emancipation during his early presidency. He supported the platform for the Republican Party of 1860 that believed slavery should not be allowed to expand into other territories in America (Sudbury, 2008). He believed that the widespread of slavery in the new western lands would inhibit the perspective of free labor on the America’s free soil and wanted peace to reign in the states through the end of slavery. Politically, Lincoln was attacked as an abolitionist but he did not consider himself as one. However, he believed that it was prudent to administer slow ending of the aspects of slavery by gradual emancipation and colonization by volunteering rather than the means of abolitionist that demanded the immediate end of slavery without compensating the owners (Zietlow,

Lincoln believed that he had “no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists.” Lincoln continues and says, “I believe that I have not lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so” (Majewaki, pg. 70). Lincoln was a humble politician. He in no way wanted to endanger the unity of the nation.

For most of his life, Abraham Lincoln abhorred slavery. He did not believe in the expansion of slavery, this coincided with his personal values, and the idea the forefathers held, that slavery would eventually end. However, he believed that the institution of slavery should be allowed where it already existed. In fact, during his early presidency he enforced pro-slavery laws to uphold what was already in the constitution. Though he was explicit in his plans to not interfere with slavery, southern states tried to secede in fear. The Civil war led Lincoln to adopt his personal views on slavery as a political maneuver to save the North in the war.

Lincoln argued interestingly enough that he did not believe that slavery was wrong, and, he did not believe that blacks and whites should have similar rights. Nor did he believe blacks should have the same social and political rights as whites. In 1858, Stephen Douglas during a debate accused Lincoln of supporting “negro equality”, in which he rebutted with stating, “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races”. He maintained his argument stating that he was against blacks voting, to serve in juries, to hold a political office, or to intermix in marriage. Lincoln did believe that all men have a right to better ways to live, succeed and to enjoy “fruits of their labor”. Lincoln saw that this one point was how blacks should be held equal to whites, and that slavery was wrong. As time went on his views changed on “social and political” equality. He also began to believe that slavery was morally wrong, but he was fighting the highest “sanctions of the law in the land”, the “Constitution. The word “slavery” was not written in this way so this became the difficult area for him to argue. Slavery not being the key word to work with, instead his work was done with key clauses that protected this institution, such as “including a fugitive slave clause, and the three-fifths

Abraham was born a poor farmhand boy in Kentucky, but he moved from small cabins in Kentucky, Indiana, and finally settled in Illinois. He was a farmhand for his father in these states and didn’t have much exposure to slavery, although, these states did have black/slave laws. Lincoln got his first dose of slavery at the age of eighteen when he was hired to take a flatboat down to New Orleans. I quote from Lincoln: A Photobiography “Lincoln would never forget the site of black men, women, and children being driven along in chains and being auctioned off like cattle.” This still didn’t change his “opinion” on slavery (he didn’t have one).

To begin, Abraham Lincoln’s view on slavery is that he thought that slavery was injustice. This means that he thought that blacks should not have to be slaves because it is wrong. In source 1 the text states, "slavery was founded on both injustice and bad policy. Ten years later as a congressman he voted with his party to stop the spread of slavery, and he introduced a bill to stop slavery in the nation's capitol.” This quote means that Abraham Lincoln thought that

The controversy over slaves ultimately led to the secession. Abraham Lincoln thinks slavery is wrong and he wants to stop it from spreading. Earlier, he had warned that slavery could separate a nation. In the 1860 election Lincoln is elected, but southerners are worried he will end slavery forever. Southern states start to secede because they are worried. First South Carolina succeeds, then North, Texas, and then Florida too. They give themselves a new name called the Confederate States of America. (Wise...)

Abraham Lincolns did not support the idea of slavery. Abraham Lincoln believed that it the idea of slavery was not morally correct. Although, Abraham Lincoln did want slavery to be put to an end he was not an abolitionist. Abraham Lincoln was against slavery but he did not support the quality between a white man and a black man. Abraham Lincoln was able to make his thoughts extremely clearly during one of his debates he had at Charleston, Illinois, in September 18th in 1853 (Pruitt 3). Abraham Lincoln was accused of being for negro equality by U.S Senate, Stephen Douglas. Abraham quickly defended himself to the accusation that was brought up to him saying. “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races”. Abraham Lincoln than started to discuss about how he did not truly believe black people should be given the right to be able to vote in political elections, he also believed that black people should not have the right to have the right to serve juries, and than he continued to discuss how he thought that black and white people should not

The southern states wanted to have their own nation and wanted to keep slavery alive, was unable to decide on laws. The north did not want the country to be broken apart. In the election of 1860 Abraham Lincoln stated that he wanted to stop the spread of slavery. The southern states said that if Lincoln won, they would secede and leave the union. The southern states seceded from the union after Lincoln was elected.