Mr. Lincoln's Speech:
Mr. Lincoln took the stand at a quarter before three, and was greeted with vociferous and protracted applause; after which, he said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: It will be very difficult for an audience so large as this to hear distinctly what a speaker says, and consequently it is important that as profound silence be preserved as possible.
While I was at the hotel to-day, an elderly gentleman called upon me to know whether I was really in favor of producing a perfect equality between the negroes and white people. [Great Laughter.] While I had not proposed to myself on this occasion to say much on that subject, yet as the question was asked me I thought I would occupy perhaps five minutes in saying something in regard to it. 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, [applause]-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 I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. 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. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied every thing. I do not understand that because I do not want a negro woman for a slave I must necessarily want her for a wife. [Cheers and laughter.] My understanding is that I can just let her alone. I am now in my fiftieth year, and I certainly never have had a black woman for either a slave or a wife. So it seems to me quite possible for us to get along without making either slaves or wives of negroes. I will add to this that I have never seen, to my knowledge, a man, woman or child who was in favor of producing a perfect equality, social and political, between negroes and white men. I recollect of but one distinguished instance that I ever heard of so frequently as to be entirely satisfied of its correctness-and that is the case of Judge Douglas's old friend Col. Richard M. Johnson. [Laughter.] I will also add to the remarks I have made (for I am not going to enter at large upon this subject,) that I have never had the least apprehension that I or my friends would marry negroes if there was no law to keep them from it, [laughter] but as Judge Douglas and his friends seem to be in great apprehension that they might, if there were no law to keep them from it, [roars of laughter] I give him the most solemn pledge that I will to the very last stand by the law of this State, which forbids the marrying of white people with negroes. [Continued laughter and applause.] I will add one further word, which is this: that I do not understand that there is any place where an alteration of the social and political relations of the negro and the white man can be made except in the State Legislature-not in the Congress of the United States-and as I do not really apprehend the approach of any such thing myself, and as Judge Douglas seems to be in constant horror that some such danger is rapidly approaching, I propose as the best means to prevent it that the Judge be kept at home and placed in the State Legislature to fight the measure. [Uproarious laughter and applause.] I do not propose dwelling longer at this time on this subject. *end of speech*
Like all history, there is seldom a complete black or white truth(no pun intended). Lincoln made this comment while running for Congress in 1858. He was a pragmatist and not an ideologue. His main concern was saving the Union. He is also quoted as saying: If I could save the Union by freeing all off the slaves, I would do it. And if I could save the Union by freeing some of the slaves, while leaving others, I would do it".
In Lincoln's defense, it seems as if he spoke from his heart as a man of THAT time. In no way am I saying that his beliefs are rational or correct but I am saying that he spoke from the position of a white man during that time. Initially, he tried to make the war about keeping the union together and nothing more, but the Abolitionist and other radical Republicans influenced his overall perception of blacks. He was never a man who went above and beyond to champion equality for my ancestors as history would like to portray but he did see the unequivical turth that lay before him that required him to address the slavery issue if Europe were to back him up on what he was going to do in order to keep the union together. By that time Britain had already outlawed slavery, and maintaining a strong relationship with Europe was extremely important during that time. Backing the freedom of slaves was in fact a very strong PR move for the North that was needed. Otherwise, the world would declare Democracy a failure because a true democracy cannot exist when it maintains an enslaved minority faction. Lincoln's change of heart was more logical than passionate but overall I do think that he had an actual change of heart..... just not in the way that history often portrays in school .
Many are disillusioned. Being disillusioned can only mean that one is suffering under illusions. Count the blessing of that not being a luxury you can afford and spread the message of true historical facts. May all people be freed from the lies that ensnare and imprison the heart, mind, and soul. Let us be free to know who we truly are and not who we were created, IN FICTION, to believe ourselves to be.
Onward & Upward,
Renate'
