Abraham Lincoln
Election of 1860 Campaign
Political Party
Republican
Slogan
"The best way predict the future is to create it."
Views on Slavery and Secession
He opposed the spread of slavery in any form to the new terrorities. Lincoln believed that secession had challenged the fundamental premises of democracy, and he would do anything to stop it.
Summary
If Abraham Lincoln had not been elected Slavery would most likely still take place to this day. He was outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States, Lincoln won the Republican Party nomination in 1860. Historians have concluded that he handled the factions of the Republican Party well, bringing leaders of each faction into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. Lincoln is well known for ending slavery in the United States. Abolitionists criticized Lincoln for his sluggishness over slavery per se, but on August 22, 1862, Lincoln explained:
“ 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."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.”
“ 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."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.”