"We Cannot Escape History": Lincoln and the Last Best Hope of EarthJames M. McPherson In "We Cannot Escape History" a remarkable group of top Lincoln and Civil War scholars come together to explore the meaning of Lincoln for the destiny of the United States. They focus on Lincoln's view of American history and on his legacy - for Americans and for the world. In the process they deepen the reader's understanding of and appreciation for the complexity of the problems Lincoln faced and for the genius of his leadership, which surmounted these obstacles and preserved the United States as one nation indivisible while purging it of slavery, which had marred the democratic and egalitarian promise of America from the beginning. The contributors develop themes including Lincoln's conception of the United States as the last best hope for the preservation of democratic government and a republican polity, his view of American history and its meaning, his international impact, Lincoln and slavery, Lincoln and the uses of political power, and Lincoln as commander-in-chief in time of war. |
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Page 2
... Constitution . If the Confederate rebellion succeeded in its effort to sever the United States , popular government would be swept into the dustbin of history . The next time a disaffected minority lost a presidential election , as ...
... Constitution . If the Confederate rebellion succeeded in its effort to sever the United States , popular government would be swept into the dustbin of history . The next time a disaffected minority lost a presidential election , as ...
Page 3
... constitutional republic , or a democracy ... can , or cannot maintain its territorial integrity . " If it could not , the forces of reaction in Europe would smile in smug satisfac- tion at this proof of their contention that the upstart ...
... constitutional republic , or a democracy ... can , or cannot maintain its territorial integrity . " If it could not , the forces of reaction in Europe would smile in smug satisfac- tion at this proof of their contention that the upstart ...
Page 8
... constitutional and political constraints that hindered Lincoln from turning the war for Union into a war against slavery . Since " the North does not proclaim abolition and never pretended to fight for anti - slavery , " asked perturbed ...
... constitutional and political constraints that hindered Lincoln from turning the war for Union into a war against slavery . Since " the North does not proclaim abolition and never pretended to fight for anti - slavery , " asked perturbed ...
Page 9
... Constitution , had to exempt the loyal border states and Union - occupied portions of the Con- federacy , the London Spectator sneered that " the principle asserted is not that a human being cannot own another , but that he cannot own ...
... Constitution , had to exempt the loyal border states and Union - occupied portions of the Con- federacy , the London Spectator sneered that " the principle asserted is not that a human being cannot own another , but that he cannot own ...
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Contents
Lincoins History | 17 |
Lincolns Narrative of American Exceptionalism | 33 |
Emancipating the Republic Lincoln and the Means and Ends of Antislavery | 45 |
LINCOLNS LEADERSHIP | 61 |
Abraham Lincoln and Presidential Leadership | 63 |
The Civil War and the TwoParty System | 86 |
Avoid Saying Foolish Things The Legacy of Lincolns Impromptu Oratory | 105 |
LINCOLNS LEGACY | 125 |
What Is an American? Abraham Lincoln and Multiculturalism | 127 |
Abraham Lincoln Our EverPresent Contemporary | 139 |
The International Lincoln | 158 |
Contributors | 175 |
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Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Papers African Americans American Civil American Civil War American exceptionalism Boston Globe British cabinet coln Confederacy Confederate conflict Congress Constitution created equal crisis criticism culture Declaration of Independence delivered democracy Democrats Douglas Dred Scott effort election Emancipation Proclamation ethnic federal Francis Lieber George Gettysburg Address historians hope of earth House Divided Ibid idea ideals Illinois impromptu institutions issue James Jefferson Jefferson Davis June Kansas-Nebraska Act last best hope leaders leadership legislature liberals liberty Lincoln-Douglas Debates ment military Missouri multiculturalism narrative nation never North northern opinion Oxford University Press party political politicians popular president presidential principles quoted regiments Republic Republican resolutions role Seward slave slavery society southern speech Springfield Stampp Stephen Douglas Taney territories tion two-party system Union United victory Virginia Williams Collection vols voting Washington White House words wrote York
Popular passages
Page 2 - Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.