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Lincoln and the Abolitionists by
Allen C. Guelzo
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Lincoln and the Abolitionists by
Allen C. Guelzo
In his article "Lincoln and the Abolitionists," Allen C. Guelzo delves into the tangled
history of Abraham Lincoln's relationship with the abolitionist movement. Historical accounts
generally portray Lincoln as the "Great Emancipator" for his part in abolishing slavery. Still,
Guelzo highlights the initial mistrust and doubt abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison had of
Lincoln. Lincoln's success in bringing about the abolitionists' ultimate aim of abolishing slavery,
according to Guelzo, was the consequence of a rare confluence of circumstances. Belief in
rightness, political savvy, and loyalty to the Constitution are all important.
The political climate of the moment is examined, as is Abraham Lincoln's internal
conflict about how to deal with slavery. To succeed, he had to balance competing interests within
his party. The Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment were both made
possible because of Lincoln's political acumen. Guelzo portrays Lincoln as a pragmatic and
cautious politician dedicated to preserving the Union above everything else. Lincoln despised
slavery but approached abolition cautiously because he knew it would be difficult to maintain
national unity without it. Lincoln's moral objection to slavery and his struggle to balance his
political obligations as president with that stance is discussed. Guelzo explains the nuances and
disagreements between abolitionists and Lincoln throughout the piece. Lincoln, in his mind, was
fighting slavery with the abolitionists, but the abolitionists' insistence for immediate release
humiliated Lincoln at times. Lincoln's complicated connection with the abolitionist movement is
the focus of this article. Both organizations' efforts to eradicate slavery in the United States are
shed light on.
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Lincoln's personal beliefs and moral compass drove his judgments on slavery, and Guelzo
emphasizes this. Despite early reservations among abolitionists, Lincoln was convinced of the
injustice of slavery and the importance of abolishing it. His views influenced Lincoln's policies,
the article claims. Guelzo emphasizes Lincon's dedication to the Constitution. Even as he worked
to eradicate slavery, Lincoln knew it was critical to uphold the Constitution and protect the
Union. He tried to achieve his aims through constitutional and legal channels, realizing the
critical need to do so in a politically fractured country.
This article explores Lincoln and the abolitionists' complicated relationships and shifting
viewpoints as they worked to eradicate slavery. Guelzo analyzes Lincoln's relationship with
major abolitionists. Lincoln confronted political realities as he tried to keep the Union together
and eradicate slavery simultaneously, as Guelzo emphasized. Lincoln's steady evolution from a
centrist on the slavery issue to a radical for its abolition is examined. We also examine how the
abolitionist movement influenced public opinion and helped push progressive laws. To
demonstrate how the Civil War and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 influenced the
abolitionists' and Lincoln's divergent perspectives and contacts, Guelzo spends most of his thesis
analyzing their relationship.
According to Guelzo, Lincoln's connection with the abolitionist was strained and
distrustful, and his path to freedom was arduous. Abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison are
said to have had doubts about Lincoln's dedication to the cause of quick and unrestricted
liberation. They took Lincoln's political flexibility and moderation as an indication that he would
likely make concessions on slavery. Guelzo concedes that Lincoln did participate in political
maneuvering and made pragmatic judgments regarding maintaining unity and gaining support
for his programs. But the author contends that Lincoln's profound emotional commitment to
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opposing slavery was the driving force behind his political maneuvering. Lincoln's moral
resistance to slavery, according to Guelzo, drove his political decisions and ultimately led to the
eradication of the institution.
The author also emphasizes Lincoln's dedication to constitutional values as a key factor
in his strategy to abolish slavery. Guelzo says Lincoln wanted independence through American
law and the Constitution. Lincoln preferred constitutional means to abolish slavery to spectacular
means gradually. According to Guelzo, Lincoln's success in abolition forced him to combine his
moral conviction and political maneuvering against slavery with his commitment to
constitutional ideals. Abolitionists initially distrusted Lincoln, but Guelzo claims that he finally
realized their goal for several reasons.
Lincoln was a great politician who knew how to balance authority and abuse. He knew
many people, especially in the South, would oppose the immediate abolition of slavery. Lincoln
used several tactics to attain his aims in this political context. He focused on avoiding slavery
rather than abolition. He won over moderate organizations and built a stronger alliance for future
abolitionist legislation.
Lincoln's opinions on slavery changed due to morality, politics, and the Civil War.
However, he was not a fierce abolitionist; his opposition to slavery was moral. Lincoln
acknowledged slavery's widespread legal safeguards. As a politician, he realized the necessity to
compromise and combine his ideals with political reality. Thus, he prioritized the Union and
Constitution. Lincoln felt the Constitution gave states the power to govern themselves, including
the right to keep slavery where lawful. Lincoln's views on slavery changed as he experienced the
Civil War's devastation. Lincoln became convinced that slavery threatened the Union and its
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values after the war's atrocities, millions of deaths, and severe divides. He believed slavery
contradicted the United States' founding principles of liberty and equality. His dedication to
abolishing slavery increased. Lincoln understood that enduring change required legal and
constitutional foundations. He knew that abolition required legal support to last. He ended
slavery by military and legislative action.
In 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring Confederate enslaved
people free as a military necessity. This move weakened the Confederacy's workforce and helped
the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation exclusively freed enslaved people in Confederate-
held regions. Lincoln supported the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery permanently. 1865
this amendment ended slavery and involuntary servitude nationwide, enshrining it in the nation's
highest legal instrument. Lincoln's approach to abolishing slavery reflected his constitutional and
legal values. He felt slavery's abolition must be done inside the Constitution to last. Lincoln's
commitment to end slavery deepened as he saw the Civil War's effects and realized the need of
sustaining the Union's beliefs.
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Reference
Allen C. Guelzo (2002).
Lincoln and the Abolitionists
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