posted on Aug, 22 2017 @ 12:52 PM
a reply to:
Gryphon66
In order of conviction:
1) The Constitution and preservation and welfare of the Union
2) Deeply morally opposed to the institution of slavery
3) Convinced of the superiority of whites over "colored" people
In this framework, he felt no obligation to end slavery in the south under the constitution.
He believed slavery was a wound to the nation, but was going to go extinct on it's own.
The Southern States wanted slavery expanded to the new territories..aka..the bulk of what is the USA today.
Lincoln/The federal government forbid it.
The South rebelled.
Reverting to his first obligation of preserving the union and constitution...and after repeatedly denying requests for emancipation..he emancipated
African Americans...to add 100k plus troops to the North and Undermine the Southern Troops.
He did it for pragmatic purposes and to win the war and preserve the Union, but it was in keeping with his moral view.
Once committed he was all-in on emancipation and it could not happen in half-measures.
Personally deeply opposed to slavery as an institution...on moral grounds and because he thought it was a sickness to American Ideals.
Personally of the mind that whites were in most ways on average superior to African Americans.
Complicated man, but likely not unlike many, if not most, at the time.
You do not need to believe someone is your equal in order to deeply oppose their enslavement.