Lincoln and the Abolitionists Essay - 5776 Words

LINCOLN AND THE ABOLITIONISTS History records Abraham Lincoln as the Great Emancipator, yet ardent abolitionists of his day such as William Lloyd Garrison viewed him with deep suspicion. That the 16th president eventually achieved the abolitionists most cherished dream, says biographer Allen Guelzo, happened through a curious combination of political maneuvering, personal conviction, and commitment to constitutional principle. One of the ironies of the Civil War era and the end of slavery in the United States has always been that the man who played the role of the Great Emancipator was so hugely mistrusted and so energetically vilified by the party of abolition. Abraham Lincoln, whatever his larger reputation as the liberator of two†¦show more content†¦I went to prominent Republicans, and among others, to Abraham Lincoln and Lyman Trumbull, and neither of them dared to sign that petition, to give me the right to testify in a court of justice!... If we sent our children to school, Abraham Lincoln would kick them out, in the name of Republicanism and anti-slavery! Lincolns election did not mute abolitionist criticism. His unwillingness to use the outbreak of the Civil War in the spring of 1861 as a pretext for immediate abolition convinced William Lloyd Garrison that Lincoln was unwittingly helping to prolong the war, and to render the result more and more doubtful! If he is 6 feet 4 inches high, he is only a dwarf in mind! Garrison had never really believed that Lincolns Republicans had an issue with the South, and Lincoln himself did nothing once elected to convince him otherwise. Frederick Douglass, who had parted fellowship with Garrison over the issue of noninvolvement in politics, hoped for better from Lincoln, but only seemed to get more disappointments. Lincolns presidential inaugural, with its promise not to interfere with southern slavery if the southern states attempted no violent withdrawal from the Union, left Douglass with no very hopeful impression of Lincoln. If anything, Lincoln had only confirmed Douglasss worst fears, and he flayed Lincoln as an itinerant Colonization lecturer, showing all his inconsistencies, his pride of raceShow MoreRelated Abolitionists: Their Ideology, and Their Relation with Lincoln and Politics2911 Words   |  12 Pagesto eliminate slavery in America. During the time up until the Civil war abolitionists would try to influence both society and politics using ways some of which were similar to those of political parties. The relationship between abolitionists, their ideals and politics was key in reforming national policy related to slavery. Though President Lincoln was opposed to slavery he was not an abolitionist. However despite this Lincoln was strongly influenced by their ideas and they often made their way intoRead MoreAbraham Lincoln Was A True Abolitionist1383 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Lincoln was a true abolitionist; he was very committed to the end of slavery in America even though people thought differently of him. Lincoln spent a majority of his presidency makin g sure slavery, if it wasn’t during his term, was abolished for good. A man like this could never be classified as a racist, because his actions speak louder than words. Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809. His parents were in low the social class and they didn’t make a good income at the time. DuringRead MoreEssay about Abraham Lincoln and The Voice of The Abolitionists890 Words   |  4 PagesJanuary 1, 1863 all slaves in states in the Union â€Å"shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free†. Lincoln argued interestingly enough that he did not believe that slavery was wrong, and, he did not believe that blacks and whites should have similar rights. Nor did he believe blacks should have the same social and political rights as whites. In 1858, Stephen Douglas during a debate accused Lincoln of supporting â€Å"negro equality†, in which he rebutted with stating, â€Å"I will say then that I am not,Read MoreThe Civil War Of The United States1440 Words   |  6 Pagesseemed to be clear cut on what happened during the conflict its cause is to this day seemingly undecided. Was it the simple piece of legislature calle d the Kansas-Nebraska act that started it or the election of the United States president Abraham Lincoln that caused the turmoil? Either way these two causes have their starting points in slavery in the United States. Slavery was the ultimate cause of the Civil War. As the United States furthered its land and power by expanding west the land had to beRead MoreCivil War Essay: The Major Contributing Factors to the Civil War888 Words   |  3 Pagesslavery at face value was a major factor, international politics and economics played a major role. Several factors, including the election of Lincoln, the raid on Harper s Ferry, the Dred Scott decision, and, most importantly, the fugitive slave law, contributed to the growing rift between the North and South and, eventually, the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln is most always associated with the Civil War. But, he was not elected through a majority of the popular vote. In fact, with only forty percentRead MoreThe Events That Caused The Civil War1688 Words   |  7 Pages slavery was the ultimate factor that led to this event in history. Economic and social differences between the north and the south, fights between slave and non-slave proponents, the growth of the abolition movement, and the election of Abraham Lincoln are all events having to do with slavery in the United States that led to the start of the Civil War. Economic and social differences between the north and the south was one of the events of slavery leading up to the Civil War. When the cotton ginRead More Abraham Lincoln and Slavery Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln and Slavery Many Americans believe that Abraham Lincoln was the â€Å"Great Emancipator,† the sole individual who ended slavery, and the man who epitomizes freedom. In his brief presidential term, Lincoln dealt with an unstable nation, with the South seceding from the country and in brink of leaving permanently. The differing ideologies between the North and South about the economy and slavery quickly lead to civil war. It was now the duty of Lincoln to maintain the unityRead MoreJohn Brown And The Civil War1719 Words   |  7 Pagesand Abraham Lincoln, with their own niche roles contributed greatly to the coming and the inevitability of the Civil War. Lincoln being chief among these people in respects to importance to the coming of the Civil War was a huge catalyst to the civil war through his election to presidency without the votes of a single southern state, and his debates with Stephen Douglas. Douglas was another large part of the fruition of the Civil War through his Compromise of 1850, and the Douglas-Lincoln debates whichRead MoreLincolns Emancipation of the Slaves Essay1334 Words   |  6 Pages or former slaves. The â€Å"Emancipation Proclamation† speech was during the Antislavery Movement or what some people call the Abolitionist Movement, during the 1860s. The main leaders of the abolitionist movement were Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. The point of Lincoln writing the speech about emancipating the slaves was to free the slaves and win the civil war. Lincoln had written a speech titled The Emancipation Proclamation. He wrote this speech and signed it in January of 1863 in WashingtonRead MoreThe Great Awakening Of The Antebellum Period1524 Words   |  7 Pagesact of 1851 and the Compromise of 1850 or rebellions like the Underground Railroad. Fredrick Douglass was also very influential in this time because he is a true example of a black abolitionist and his speech changed lives. Another important event in the Antebellum Period was the Abolitionist movement. Abolitionists wanted to abolish, or terminate, slavery because they thought it was unjust and wrong. One of the main reasons for the creation of abolition is the Second Great Awakening (McKivigan)