What are your thoughts on Abraham Lincoln? (war, Great Britain, general)

[Travelling fella]

Abe lincoln is an historical character that has always intrigued me, because of it's deep spirituality, a lot of Presidents in the USA have mentioned God, but imho when Abe spoke of him he really meant it.

That is exactly what makes me be fascinated by him, his legacy, his story.

What are your thoughts on Abraham Lincoln?

[Huckleberry3911948]

closest match i know would be benito juarez.
both great men. am i connecting?

[Reactionary]

President Lincoln saved the Union, abolished slavery in the US, and established the Republican Party. He started the Transcontinental Railroad, enacted the first Income Tax, and created the Department of Agriculture.

This thread also discusses Pres. Lincoln:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/histo...y-contain.html

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by Bunky39

closest match i know would be benito juarez.
both great men. am i connecting?

Yes you are Bunky they were actually great friends and close allies, the brigdes that unite our 2 countries are called Juarez - Lincoln or Lincoln - Juarez international bridge because of that both were great men who achieved great things.

[Six Foot Three]

Most people do not realise that different countries almost entered the American Civil War on different sides for different reasons. As for President Lincoln and President Juarez they were friends from what i've read as Lincoln shipped 30,000 Muskets to help Jaurez fight Napolean III Armies in Mexico amd also had General Sheridan mass troops on the US/Mexican border to invade Mexico to allied with Juarez to fight the French however he was bogged down in the U.S. Civil War so that kept him from ever really helping Mexico. Secondly if the French had won in Mexico there was some thoughts of Napolean III invading the USA and siding with the Confederates as he was a sympathizer of the Confederacy.

Also Great Britain had thoughts about entering. On one hand they detested Slavery so they agreed with the North but they really needed Cotton and Jefferson Davis promised them Cotton by the Ton if they'd recognize the Confederacy but eventually they seen the writing on the wall and knew the south would lose so they stayed out.

Interesting to think about these other countries and how the war might have changed if they entered this conflict.

I know there's more details that i missed or others can add but thats my recollection of my studies on this back in my school days.

[Pikantari]

I can't get as deep into this as you all have other than, he was one of my favorite early presidents, back from learning in school.

He meant something. He did things.

[David Kennedy]

During the 'Civil War' Mr. Lincoln was firmly rooted in the belief that God had abandoned this nation and left it to its own desolation. His upbringing and education was mainly from his mothers knee and that firmly instilled with the Holy Bible as a text.
One thing that historians fail to mention is nearness to the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith. At one of Mr. Smith's many trials in Illinois, Mr. Lincoln was an observer in an attic directly over the courtroom. Lincoln would have been familiar to the prisoner and some of the sensational stories and printed news articles of that time.
One of them being the prediction of internal war in the USA by Joseph Smith.
It may have been certain that Lincoln remembered these predictions as they came to pass and reached fullfilment.
The Mormons in Illinois were despised because they were anti-slavery. They had been driven from Missouri because of this issue.
One of the Republican Party Platform Planks during Lincoln's re-election was to kill out the 'Mormons' as soon as the internal rebellion was over...troops had been sent to the spanish territory of Utah earlier but were called back east when the war began.
Mr. Lincoln has been diagnoised as emotionaly impaired by some. My feelings are that the weight of the office and losing his son to death brought a finality of hopelessness to his life.
He also felt his end coming and groomed U.S. Grant to finish the job of healing the nation afterwards. Something that is still taking place.
Of all the Presidents, I think Lincoln and Washington petitioned what they called 'Divine Providence' to act and give them inspiration to lead. I also feel that they received some kind of answer or felt that they did. The outcome of their descisions tend to show that fact.
Washington was said to make each descision after soul searching mighty prayer...and when he felt he had received inspiration, nothing would keep him from acting on that inspiration.
An additional fact of leadership sticks out in American history...When we have needed these people they have risen to the occasion.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

Washington was said to make each descision after soul searching mighty prayer...and when he felt he had received inspiration, nothing would keep him from acting on that inspiration.
An additional fact of leadership sticks out in American history...When we have needed these people they have risen to the occasion.

That is a huge blessing America's had, let's pray for God to enlighten the leaders of America of these times.

Some quotes from Abe lincoln.

"I don't want to claim that God is on our side, I want to pray humbly that we are on God's side"
Abraham Lincoln

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Letter To Henry L. Pierce and Others" (April 6, 1859), p. 376.

"Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." Lincoln's Cooper Institute Address, February 27, 1860.

[Niners fan]

I have always wondered how effective Lincoln could have been with the press of today. I am NOT comparing George W. Bush to Lincoln in a general sense but as an example - the warrentless wiretapping that Bush authorized. That was pretty minor compared to Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus. I can only imagine what the press would do with that now.

I admire Lincoln's devotion to God. But I also think that he knew that any state had a right to secede. Any state that entered voluntarily into the Union could also then withdraw voluntarily.

[recycled]

I have visited the Lincoln monument in Washington DC several times, it is an inspiring place and also humbling to be there. Reading the words of the Gettysburg address chiseled in marble, he was a person whose command of the language was stunning, considering that he did not an extensive academic education like many other leaders or public figures in our history. The more that I learn or read about Lincoln, the more I am amazed at how he was able to get through the terrible events that unfolded in front of him. It would seem to confirm that Lincoln did indeed have some divine guidance or inspiration.