How Did Lincoln's Restricted Subjugation

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).

Lincoln’s main goal for his presidency was to unify the Union after the Civil War had torn the North and the South apart. In Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” he says, “While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war...” (Lincoln 68). When Lincoln was elected for his first term, he wanted to unify the Union even before the war had

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most well known presidents in the history of the United States of America. He as thought to be the man who led this great country through the toughest times it had to encounter. His determination to get the United States through the Civil War is one of the best things that have ever happened for this country. Lincoln’s argument about the relationship between slavery, the Constitution, and the Union changed throughout the Civil War. Lincoln’s view of the purpose of the war was to save the Union because of the southern states seceding from the Union. However, the argument changed to the war being about slavery because of Fredrick Douglass’s speeches and the Confederates surrendering at

President Abraham Lincoln wanted to prevent a resurgence of resistance. He realized that time was of the essence, and a plan would need to be devised to clearly allow white southerners the ability to regain their status in the Union. His main objective from the beginning of the Civil War was to bring it to an end as quickly as possible. Thus, Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.

As one of the most pivotal moments in American history, Abraham Lincoln initiating the civil war has far reaching consequences. However, as important as these consequences are the reasons for fighting the war; and the persistence/heart to endure the war. I believe that Lincoln started the war with the intentions of preserving the union, but as the war went on a new reason came to be -- ending slavery.

The answer would be that he wanted to prove his respect to the Constitutional protection of property in 1862. Furthermore, he declared that he will preserve the Union through war if it is what he must do to keep the Southern states from secession after his election and prevent the spreading of slavery. This was all due to the Emancipation Proclamation which was written by Lincoln himself in order to bring the war to its end. The Emancipation Proclamation did not only mark the turning point of the war but it was also to deal with Lincoln’s general who acted by themselves to free the slaves while Lincoln wanted the federal government to act on the issue only. Not only that, the Emancipation Proclamation also had a huge impact in changing the objective of the Northern states to freeing the slaves and from here, the slaves started to entitle Lincoln as “The Great Emancipator,” for his effort in trying to liberate them and letting them fight in the war so that they can prove their strength and bravery, and their willingness to fight for their freedom and against

Abraham Lincoln believed that to preserve the union, he would need to free slaves, but it was more than that, he needed to find a way to bring the country together as one rather than separation. He said himself, " if I could save the union, without freeing any slave I would do it...", that shows that the abolition of slavery was not Lincoln's number one priority, but he believed it needed to be done in order to preserve the Union.

Early on in Lincoln’s political career he “expressed his devotion to the cause of protectionist tariffs, taxpayer subsidies for railroads and other corporations, and the nationalization of the money supply” (2). According to Lincoln, “the constitution stood in the way of his political ambitions” (3). If you cannot already tell, Lincoln seemed maybe he did not really care for the constitution or people like he said he did. He did not care to have equality between the races and wanted to put all the blacks in one place besides the United States. We should all be treated equally but Lincoln did not feel this way. Lincoln’s primary agenda for a Civil War was not to end slavery but to save the Union (8).

He wondered how someone who hated slavery could promise to protect it in all southern states. He wondered how someone who insisted that blacks were human could support racism. Why would he want to follow Lincoln?

He explained, in his first inaugural address, that “No State, upon its own mere motion, can lawfully get out of the Union, that resolves and ordinances to that effect are legally void, and that acts of violence, within any State or States, against the authority of the United States, are insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to circumstances.” Which makes me believe that he realized that the Union wouldn’t survive for very long without the agricultural South. He knew that the North and South supported each other. Lincoln had also taken an oath to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution. Which in turn made him consider himself bound to preserve the Union as the physical representation of the Declaration of Independence and a central subject of the Constitution.

Lincoln viewed Reconstruction as part of the larger effort to win the war and abolish slavery. He wanted to weaken the Confederacy by creating new state governments that could win broad support from southern white people. With Lincoln’s vision, he wanted things to be over quickly he didn’t want it to be dragged out and a long process. Lincoln’s plan angered the Radical Republicans (who advocated not only equal rights for the freedman but also a tougher stance toward the white South). Lincoln biggest fear was that if they asked for 50 percent instead of the 10 percent that it would continue the war making it longer and costlier for the United States. Unfortunately, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865. At the time of his assassination, Lincoln’s reconstruction policy remained unsettled and

Lincoln states "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 by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." Lincoln was strictly for the Union and if he could save the Union and end slavery he would, but his first thoughts were for the Union, and only the Union. He deals with slavery in this manner because he does not want to upset or cause turmoil in the South. Even though the Civil War was going on, he wants it to end and the Union to be whole.

He believed in uniting the nation and not inflicting punishments on the South. Many people disagree with this. After the celebrating was over Lincoln went to work once again, trying to rebuild the country. He didn’t know that a man by the name of John Wilkes Booth was planning his assassination. It happened in a theatre and was very well planned out.

Lincoln had three objectives, which was simply, the restoration of the union, the abolishment of slaves, and what was best for the people. The north and south were considered as the Union and the Confederates. While he was trying to help both, the north and the south, they only cared for themselves. 4 Southerners believed that electing Lincoln as president would help lead to the emancipation of slaves. The northerners couldn’t care less

Lincoln most likely had many reasons to write this speech, but there was one main reason that stood out the most to Majerol. Lincoln signed the "Emancipation Proclamation" to transform the nature of the civil war such as, helping the Union secure victory in the civil war. In addition, it had freed the slaves in all of the confederate states but not in the Union states because he did not want to lose his support in the northern states. If Lincoln would have freed the slaves in the entire United States of America he would have lost all of his supporters in the north that had slaves. In addition he would have lost the civil war because of his lack of troops. "It authorized the enlistment of free blocks for armed service, free slaves from farms" (Majerol). Therefore, Lincoln signed the “Emancipation Proclamation” because he wanted the support of the blacks so that they could join and help them win the civil war. Lincoln signed the proclamation because he knew