Lincoln In His Time (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Today we are accustomed to holding Lincoln in reverence, probably more so after the movie Lincoln, but Lincoln was a politician as well as a man and no one is perfect or free from criticism and to hold him to such a high standard does not do him justice. The following article shows how his contemporaries viewed him and we're not even talking about his Southern foes.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/06/abraham-lincoln-is-an-idiot/309304/

 

[Harper (aka Spitfrnd)]

It would probably be more accurate to say "today some (or even many if you like) are holding Lincoln in reverence. Personally, I think his presidency should be noted for achieving the right result by the wrong means. I suspect I am alone.:wink2:

 

[jazzeum]

Actually I'm sure you're not alone. Over time how we perceive people change and their warts may seem to melt away. Moreover, the manner in which he died silenced his critics (or took the edge off their criticism). For example, Gov. Thomas Bramlette of Kentucky was a vociferous critic of his policies but was effusive in his praise of Lincoln following his assassination.

 

[nysoldiers]

As my mother used to say, "why would anybody want that job?"............I doubt many parents encourage their children to aspire to the presidency.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I didn't know Fox News was around in the 1860's {sm4}

Terry

 

[Scott]

I didn't know Fox News was around in the 1860's {sm4}

Terry

Ha! if they were, Stanton would have had them stacking cannon balls all day out on Fort Jefferson or locked up in Fort Warren and Fortress Monroe.

 

[BLReed]

Well, Lincoln had a nice bedroom. Clinton made a lot of money off it.
No flat screened television though.

 

[BLReed]

Ha! if they were, Stanton would have had them stacking cannon balls all day out on Fort Jefferson or locked up in Fort Warren and Fortress Monroe.

Probably would have just issued a subpoena for his carrier pigeons, quill, and ink blotter.

 

[Poppo]

Actually I'm sure you're not alone. Over time how we perceive people change and their warts may seem to melt away. Moreover, the manner in which he died silenced his critics (or took the edge off their criticism). For example, Gov. Thomas Bramlette of Kentucky was a vociferous critic of his policies but was effusive in his praise of Lincoln following his assassination.

In my opinion Lincoln would have given his best after the war, unfortunately he was killed.

With his sensibility,balance, tolerance , strong personality, independence of thinking,he would have diminished the huge damages of war, welcoming back the southern states without the hard punishment and colonization of fact the south received throught the weak following presidents manipulated by the northern big finance.And maybe giving a state indemnization to the ex slaves.

 

[Harper (aka Spitfrnd)]

In my opinion Lincoln would have given his best after the war, unfortunately he was killed.

With his sensibility,balance, tolerance , strong personality, independence of thinking,he would have diminished the huge damages of war, welcoming back the southern states without the hard punishment and colonization of fact the south received throught the weak following presidents manipulated by the northern big finance.And maybe giving a state indemnization to the ex slaves.

A fair point. I fully agree that Lincoln's best was likely deprived him. As much as I find fault with many of his pre war and war time decisions, I think he probably was the best person available to foster a truly constructive approach to healing the wounds of the war. In fact, I think his proabably approach would have gone a long way toward eliminating the resentment and violence that plagued the desegregation efforts of the next century. Had he achieved what I think he could have in this regard, I think I would have been proud to revere him, dispite the blood letting that flowed from some of his earlier mistakes.