Were Confederate soldiers terrorists?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

"If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it...

Don't get me wrong - I think Lincoln was a skillful and one of the best Presidents. I just get sick to death of the constant diefication of him at times, especially for things he didn't say or do.

I get your point and agree about "constant deification." Lincoln was human, just like the rest of us.

But I do think if you're going to use that quote, it needs to be used in context. Standing alone it can convey quite a different meaning from what I think Lincoln intended.

I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.