Existing comment:
I intend no modification to any personally expressed wish that all men everywhere could be free.
And, then, there will be some black men who can remember that, with silent tongue, and clenched teeth and steady eye, and well-polished bayonet, they have helped mankind on to this great consummation; while, I fear, there will be some white ones, unable to forget that, with malignant heart and deceitful speech, they have strove to hinder it.
Speech in Chicago, Illinois, July 10, 1858:
This clearly expresses Lincoln's definition of personal freedom. He spoke for nearly two hours about a number of subjects, but returned again and again to the issues of individual rights and responsibilities.
Letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862:
Formally and informally, in public addresses and private correspondence, Lincoln expressed his thoughts of freedom. One of Lincoln's traits was honesty in what he said and wrote. For political reasons, he often modified his words, but the basic tenets of his belief never wavered.
Letter to James Conkling, August 26, 1863:
Lincoln wrote this letter to be read by Conkling as a massive Union rally in Springfield on September 3. The President forcefully defended the Emancipation Proclamation and the use of Negro troops. He urged his listeners not to lose heart, but to fight on for "peace does not appear so distant as it did." |