Saturday Book Review: The Real Lincoln

Everyone knows about Abraham Lincoln. No doubt about that. He is considered one of the greatest American Presidents and the favorite of many.

However, nobody knows him for what he really was.  Did you know that Lincoln didn't really free the slaves, contrary to popular belief?   Did you also that the real reason for the War of Southern Independence wasn't slavery? Although these things defy the modern perception, they are true.

  Lincoln was not the man everybody makes him out to be today.  Let's take a look at what Mr. Thomas Dilorenzo writes in his book The Real Lincoln.  If you read the book you will uncover many facts history books do not tell us today.
 

Have you ever wondered why slavery took a war to "supposedly" end it?  What if I told you it didn't take a war to end it?  No, slavery wasn't the cause of the War for Southern Independence. (By the way, that war is most commonly known as the "Civil War."  But a civil war is a war for control of a single government.  The Confederate states didn't want to rule the North - they wanted to be separate from them, to gain independence.  It was the Union that wanted to subject the seceded states to accept northern/federal government rule.)

This is the first thing I want to talk about: Slavery.  Lincoln was all for the "freeing of the slaves", right?  Humph.  Another "mixed-up" myth in modern revisionism.  No, he was not!  He wasn't for racial equality, he was opposed to it!  He didn't believe that "all men are created equal."  Instead, he referred to African Americans, Mexicans, and probably all colored people, as "inferiors." (Same mindset as Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany that started the great Holocaust.)

Lincoln actually defended the rights of slave owners to own their "property."  He said, "when they remind us of their constitutional rights [to own slaves], I acknowledge them, not grudgingly, but fully and fairly; and I would give them any legislation for the reclaiming of their fugitives."

Lincoln had no intention whatsoever of doing anything about slavery, particularly Southern slavery.  In his first Inaugural Address, Lincoln said, "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."  A man who is considered to have upheld the rights of all men?  This couldn't be the same man, could it?  Yes, the very same.    Lincoln was and is known as "Honest Abe", but he should be known as "Dishonest Abe."  He was a politician after all.  Aren't all politicians, or at least most all, liars, sneaks, frauds, and cheaters?  He, Abraham Lincoln, was one of them.

Now let's take a look at the Emancipation Proclamation.  Everybody knows about that as well.  The document that "freed" the slaves.  But Lincoln (a politician and lawyer) crafted the proclamation in such a way so that slaves would really not be emancipated.  When the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed, it applied only to rebel territory, although the federal armies occupied most of the South.  Then those places were exempted by name in the proclamation.    The slaves were really not freed.  Here is what the London Spectator said about the Emancipation Proclamation: "The principle is not that a human being cannot justly own another, but that he cannot own him unless he is loyal to the United States."  Lincoln was pretty crafty.  He knew he gave no guarantee for the emancipation of the slaves.

What about the War?  If slavery wasn't the issue, what was?  It was simply, States rights.  The Southern states still believed in Freedom and Liberty.  They still believed in maintaining their rights.  The federal government really didn't have power over them - if anything, the states had more power over the federal government.  After all, it was the people that created the federal government and gave it the powers specified in the Constitution.  But, of course, the federal government couldn't be satisfied.  They wanted all the power and control.

When the Southern states seceded from the Union, Lincoln sent soldiers to force them back.  But the Southerners were not going to give up that easily.  They also rounded up an army, one of the greatest, in my opinion.  With General Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, along with many other great men, the Confederates won some great military battles.  But alas!  How devastating the War was!  Unfortunately, the South didn't have everything the North did - factories, guns, cannons, supplies, shoes, clothes, blankets, food, gun powder, and not near as many soldiers.   However, even against such odds, the Southern army still took a great stand, one that should go down in history forever.

In the end, the South lost.  Because of that, we are still reaping the benefits of Lincoln's agenda and all the corruption he brought in.  All that just added to the Supreme Court's and the whole federal government's lust for more power.  Even today we are having to continue in our fight for Freedom and Liberty.  Today we need more people like Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and a lot less men like Abraham Lincoln.  This just goes to show how much wrong and chaos totalitarian governments cause.  I'm not saying that the U.S. has become like any of the other countries with dictators, communists, fascists, and socialists at the head.  But then again, maybe we have in a way.  I'm afraid so much more than I know is really what I don't want to know.

Because of a majorly Unnecessary War, things have only become worse.  Slavery was eventually ended, but it didn't take a war to accomplish that.  It has all been based upon power.  The federal government wants to be in control of all the states.  But it was the states that created the federal government!  Washington has only a certain amount of power - 17 different ones in fact.  But they have overstepped their boundaries by far!  Hundreds upon thousands of different ways have they crossed the line!  What really bugs me is that they are not being stopped!  What is wrong with the people?  Are we all so yellow bellied that we can't take a stand?  Are we so cowardly that we won't take back our freedoms that are rightfully ours?  They are God-given rights.  Then if they are God-given, why, oh WHY have we allowed the federal government and corrupt leaders to take them away?  I for one think it is high time we do a little fighting.  I don't want to end up like Russia, Germany, Iran, Iraq, and all the different countries that have had their freedoms taken away by tyrants. 

For a true look at Abraham Lincoln, I highly suggest you read the book The Real Lincoln, written by Thomas J. Dilorenzo.  Ever since I was little I had always know that Abraham Lincoln was a "bad man."  But now my eyes have been opened by so much more! Of course, I know I don't understand as much as some people do about some things, and I could never debate against someone. (I don't have that gift)  But I have high hopes that you have still gained something out of my ramblings.  The history books today portray Abraham Lincoln as a hero, so everybody else in America does the same.  Those people need their eyes opened by the truth, instead of being blinded by lies.  I wish everybody would read this book.  It could do a lot of changing in lives.  For the good.

I know I didn't even cover half of the book - there is so much importance that needs to be read.  I only wrote a wee bit of my personal opinion, as well as a portion of what I learned.  I really you have made something out of this.  We need to know the truth!