There was a huge difference between someone who was anti-slavery, and an abolitionist. The former respected the constitutional rights of the South to hold slaves, while the latter wanted immediate abolition (as the name implies).
Of all the democratic politicians, Lincoln is one of the greatest, ranking up there with Churchill. A man of true conviction, rather than expediency. I wish we had men of their stature today.
A little cut and dry. Moderate abolitionists wanted to do it through a constitutional amendment. Only the more radical, fringe, John Brown lefty types, wanted to do it without regard to the law.
Anyone who wanted to abolish slavery was an abolitionist, by whatever means. They were all among the radical fringe, making up perhaps 5%.
Lincoln and the Republicans had the position of stopping the spread of slavery into the territories, an eminently reasonable position - which of course in the long run threatened the survival of slavery. But then again, Lincoln backed the proposal to entrench slavery by constitutional amendment, one that supposedly could not be repealed.
Okay, not an abolitionist. Just anti-slavery.
Time has given Lincoln a great deal of moral prestige he scantly enjoyed in his lifetime.
There was a huge difference between someone who was anti-slavery, and an abolitionist. The former respected the constitutional rights of the South to hold slaves, while the latter wanted immediate abolition (as the name implies).
Of all the democratic politicians, Lincoln is one of the greatest, ranking up there with Churchill. A man of true conviction, rather than expediency. I wish we had men of their stature today.
A little cut and dry. Moderate abolitionists wanted to do it through a constitutional amendment. Only the more radical, fringe, John Brown lefty types, wanted to do it without regard to the law.
Anyone who wanted to abolish slavery was an abolitionist, by whatever means. They were all among the radical fringe, making up perhaps 5%.
Lincoln and the Republicans had the position of stopping the spread of slavery into the territories, an eminently reasonable position - which of course in the long run threatened the survival of slavery. But then again, Lincoln backed the proposal to entrench slavery by constitutional amendment, one that supposedly could not be repealed.