A must-read on the war

[Dune]

Originally posted by miko2d
That quote must be a fake - by 1864 Lincoln had opposition newspapers closed and critics and political opponents jailed or lynched.

 miko

Miko, it was part of a letter Lincoln wrote:

Letter to Horace Greeley
Written during the heart of the Civil War, this is one of Lincoln's most famous letters. Horace Greeley, editor of the influential New York Tribune, a few days earlier had addressed an editorial to Lincoln called "The Prayer of Twenty Millions." In it, he demanded emancipation for the country's slaves and implied that Lincoln's administration lacked direction and resolve.
Lincoln wrote his letter to Greeley when a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation already lay in his desk drawer. His response revealed the vision he possessed about the preservation of the Union. The letter, which received universal acclaim in the North, stands as a classic statement of Lincoln's constitutional responsibilities.

Executive Mansion,
Washington, August 22, 1862.

Hon. Horace Greeley:
Dear Sir.

I have just read yours of the 19th. addressed to myself through the New-York Tribune. If there be in it any statements, or assumptions of fact, which I may know to be erroneous, I do not, now and here, controvert them. If there be in it any inferences which I may believe to be falsely drawn, I do not now and here, argue against them. If there be perceptable [sic] in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always supposed to be right.

As to the policy I "seem to be pursuing" as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.

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.

I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free.

Yours,
A. Lincoln.

From: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/greeley.htm

[Dune]

Originally posted by AKWeav
Quote:"Why do we do this? What could possibly be worth this?

This war is an abject and utter failure. What everyone thought would be a quick, decisive victory has turned into an embarrassing series of reversals. The enemy, -- a ragtag, badly-fed collection of hotheads and fanatics – has failed to be shocked and awed by the most magnificent military machine ever fielded. Their dogged resistance has shown us the futility of the idea that a nation of millions could ever be subjugated and administered, no matter what obscene price we are willing to pay in blood and money."

As I said, typical anti-war crap, Peter himself couldn't have expressed it better.

AK, do you realize that this is what was said about the War Between the States?  Not the 2nd Gulf War?  It is a pro-war essay.

[miko2d]

Dune, I was talking about a different part of that article - which I cannot link to now.
 Actually it is the one, part of which Sickboy referres to (quoted by AKWeav) just above your post.

[edit] - yes, the one you've just quoted.

 Newertheless, I was nice to read the whole letter of Lincoln - I believe I've only seen main part of it or maybe similar sentiments elswhere in his works. Thank The Constitution surely was a sweet, polite smooth-writing bastard.

 miko

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by miko2d

 Actually it is the one, part of which Sickboy referres to just above you.

Please don't take my quoting it as any sort of statement of validity. I just found it amusing that Weav had the spin backwards on the article.

The quote sounds fishy to me, but you never know.

-Sik

[miko2d]

I only mentioned your name  becasue I could not get to the original document - but saw it in your post. No inference were made about your assumptions.

 miko

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by miko2d
I only mentioned your name  becasue I could not get to the original document - but saw it in your post. No inference were made about your assumptions.

 miko

Since inferences are often left unsaid, I'm just covering my bases.

-Sik