Abraham Lincoln Essay Research Paper Many Americans

Abraham Lincoln Essay, Research Paper

Many Americans believe that Abraham Lincoln was the

“Great Emancipator, the sole individual who ended slavery,

and the man who epitomizes freedom. In his brief

presidential term, Lincoln dealt with an unstable nation,

with the South seceding from the country and in brink of

leaving permanently. The differing ideologies between the

North and South about the economy and slavery quickly lead

to civil war. It was now the duty of Lincoln to maintain

the unity of the nation. Therefore, Lincoln is not the

“Great Emancipator” because his primary goals throughout his

presidency was always to maintain the unity of the nation

and not achieve the emancipation of slaves.

First of all, by looking at Lincoln’s road to the white

house, one can see that Abraham Lincoln was a man undecided

on the issue of slavery. He wisely used the issue of

slavery to appeal to both the abolitionists and to

Negrophobes, Northerners who were afraid of living side-by-

side with Negroes and competing with them for jobs. For

example, on July 10th of 1959, Lincoln gave a speech in

Chicago, a primarily abolitionist town. Lincoln stated that

inequality was unnecessary in this country. If all men were

created equal then were should look past race, saying, “Let

us discard all these things, and unite as one people

throughout this land, until we shall once more stand up

declaring that all men are created equal” (Hofstadter, pg.

148). On the other hand, Lincoln gave a speech in

Charleston, on September 18, 1858, a primarily pro-slavery

town and gave a totally contrary opinion. Lincoln stated

that he is not, or has ever been, in favor of freeing slaves

and giving them social equality. Lincoln stated, “I am not,

nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of

Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office” (Hofstadter,

pg. 150). Clearly, Lincoln was an undecided politician who

was merely looking for votes. He never had any intention of

ending slavery, but was rather looking for his own personal

gains, and by appealing to both ideologies; he gained the

necessary support to elect his president.

From the beginning of his presidency, at Lincoln’s First

Inaugural Address, it is clear to see he was not the “Great

Emancipator,” but a man trying to maintain the unity of the

nation. 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. But it is important to see that his

First Inaugural Address was given in March of 1861, already

after the Southern states had succeded from the nation.

What Lincoln was trying to accomplish was to return the

Southern states to the union. Lincoln even goes as far as

notifying the South that certain Legislatures have been

passed to ensure their state rights, and the

constitutionalism of slavery, “holding such a provision to

now be implied constitutional law,” and that “(he) has no

objection to its being made express and irrevocable.”

(Majewski, pg. 75). Also, in a letter to Horace Greeley,

Lincoln sates that unity of the nation is his primarily

goal, with or without slavery. “My paramount object in this

struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or

to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without

freeing any slave I would do it.” Lincoln goes on and says,

“What I do about the slavery, and the colored race, I do

because I believe it will help save the Union” (Majewski,

pg. 77). Thus, it is clear to understand that Lincoln’s

primary goal was to save the union and not achieve the

emancipation of slaves.

Even during the civil war, when the slavery issues were

at its most debated, Lincoln still looked for national unity

over emancipation of the slaves. First of ll, the Critteden

Resolution, which declared that the war with the seceded

states was not based on conquest or subjugation, had failed.

Secondly, Lincoln’s plan of compensated emancipation had

also failed. Lincoln had an alternative idea of dealing

with the Negro. By colonizing the Negroes in Central

America, Lincoln would be doing two things: one unifying the

nation, and secondly was allowing more work for the free

white worker. But this also failed. Lincoln was not in a

tough predicament. Losing popular sentiment among

Northerners, Lincoln had to take an alternative position,

something that he had never wanted to do, side with anti-

slavery. “Until I felt that we had reached the end of our

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