Abraham Lincoln: Of Two Minds
Have you ever been "of two minds" about an issue? Abraham Lincoln was "of two minds" about the issue of slavery. Because of this, he is a controversial historical figure. Some historians view him as a progressive force in American history, a man who helped end slavery. Other historians view him as a conservative force in American history, a man who retarded the end of slavery. To understand such widely divergent views, read the following quotes of Abraham Lincoln.
July 1858 – "Let us discard all this quibbling about this man and the other man, this race and that race and the other race being inferior, and therefore they must be placed in an inferior position. 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."
September 1858 – "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; 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 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."
1859 (in response to the Fugitive Slave Law) – "I confess I hate to see the poor creatures hunted down . . . but I bite my lips and keep quiet."
March 1861 (inaugural address) – "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."
August 1862 (in response to a letter from Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune) – "Dear Sir
. . . I have not meant to leave any one in doubt. . . . My paramount objective in this struggle is to save
the Union, and is not either to save or destroy Slavery. 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 do it by
freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about Slavery and the colored
race, I do because it helps to save this Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it
would help save the Union. . . . I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty, and
I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free.
Yours, A. Lincoln."
September 1862 (Emancipation Proclamation) – "That on the first day of January, AD 1863, all persons
held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, henceforward and forever free. . . . "
- What was going on inside President Abraham Lincoln's head about the issue of slavery? Write phrases, single words or whole sentences to describe the "two sides" of the conflict going on
inside this famous European American's mind.
- Write your analysis of President Lincoln's thinking on the issue of slavery. Do you think it is understandable or do you think he should have taken a position-one way or the other?
Excerpted from Ready-to-Use Multicultural Activities for the American History Classroom .
