Father Abraham: Lincoln's Relentless Struggle to End SlaveryLincoln is the single most compelling figure in our history, but also one of the most enigmatic. Was he the Great Emancipator, a man of deep convictions who ended slavery in the United States, or simply a reluctant politician compelled by the force of events to free the slaves? In Father Abraham, Richard Striner offers a fresh portrait of Lincoln, one that helps us make sense of his many contradictions. Striner shows first that, if you examine the speeches that Lincoln made in the 1850s, you will have no doubt of his passion to end slavery. These speeches illuminate the anger, vehemence, and sheer brilliance of candidate Lincoln, who worked up crowds with charismatic fervor as he gathered a national following. But if he felt so passionately about abolition, why did he wait so long to release the Emancipation Proclamation? As Striner points out, politics is the art of the possible, and Lincoln was a consummate politician, a shrewd manipulator who cloaked his visionary ethics in the more pragmatic garb of the coalition-builder. He was at bottom a Machiavellian prince for a democratic age. When secession began, Lincoln used the battle cry of saving the Union to build a power base, one that would eventually break the slave-holding states forever. Striner argues that Lincoln was a rare man indeed: a fervent idealist and a crafty politician with a remarkable gift for strategy. It was the harmonious blend of these two qualities, Striner concludes, that made Lincoln's role in ending slavery so fundamental. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 89
Page 7
... slavery system was on its way North unless Americans prevented the uniting of their “House” along pro-slavery lines. By itself, preservation of the Union was an empty concept to Lincoln, unless the Union remained dedicated—or could ...
... slavery system was on its way North unless Americans prevented the uniting of their “House” along pro-slavery lines. By itself, preservation of the Union was an empty concept to Lincoln, unless the Union remained dedicated—or could ...
Page 8
... slavery system would gradually soften resistance in the South to an offer of money in return for the liberation of slaves. He meant to place the institution of slavery “where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in [the] ...
... slavery system would gradually soften resistance in the South to an offer of money in return for the liberation of slaves. He meant to place the institution of slavery “where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in [the] ...
Page 9
... slavery. Within a year, he took advantage of political moods and got Congress to authorize federal funds to encourage the gradual liberation of slaves. As a test case, Lincoln offered this voluntary phaseout package to the handful of ...
... slavery. Within a year, he took advantage of political moods and got Congress to authorize federal funds to encourage the gradual liberation of slaves. As a test case, Lincoln offered this voluntary phaseout package to the handful of ...
Page 11
... slave-holding states and let slavery continue to expand. But Lincoln refused. Yet posterity regards him as primarily a Unionist, who freed the slaves in his endeavor to save the Union. Such were the arts of this master politician who ...
... slave-holding states and let slavery continue to expand. But Lincoln refused. Yet posterity regards him as primarily a Unionist, who freed the slaves in his endeavor to save the Union. Such were the arts of this master politician who ...
Page 13
... slavery ideals or for those who could at least be touched by his moral principles. At a lower level—at the level of tactical dealings with those who supported slavery—Lincoln's Unionism was employed for a very different purpose, an ...
... slavery ideals or for those who could at least be touched by his moral principles. At a lower level—at the level of tactical dealings with those who supported slavery—Lincoln's Unionism was employed for a very different purpose, an ...
Contents
1 | |
5 | |
Lincoln and Free Soil 18541858 | 35 |
Lincoln and Slavery Containment 18591861 | 89 |
Lincoln and Emancipation 18611862 | 137 |
Lincoln and the War to the Death 1863 | 189 |
Lincoln and the WorstCase Future 1864 | 217 |
Lincoln and the BestCase Future 18641865 | 241 |
Notes | 265 |
Select Bibliography | 293 |
Index | 297 |
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Common terms and phrases
abolitionists Abraham Lincoln action amendment American anti-slavery April argued attack August battle began blacks Civil Collected coln command Compromise Confederate Congress Constitution convention December declared Democratic Dred Scott decision election emancipation Emancipation Proclamation enemy equal Eric Foner federal fight Frederick Douglass Free-Soil Free-Soil movement free-state freedom Frémont Grant Halleck Henry Halleck Ibid Illinois institution of slavery Jaffa James Jefferson John July Kansas Kentucky land LaWanda Cox leaders Lee’s army legislature Lincoln wrote Louisiana McClellan McPherson ment militants military Mississippi Missouri moral Nathaniel Banks nation negro North Northern political president presidential principles pro-slavery proclamation race racial Radical Republicans rebel Reconstruction Richmond save the Union secession Senate September Seward slavery slavery issue slaves South Carolina Southern speech Stephen Douglas strategy Sumner Taney Tennessee territory tion troops Unionist United University Press Virginia vote warned Washington white supremacist William York
References to this book
Antislavery Politics in Antebellum and Civil War America Thomas G. Mitchell No preview available - 2007 |