Lincoln believed that slavery was a divisive element in his great nation. It separated the North from the South. He argued that "a house divided against itself can't stand" and that the "government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free" (Johannsen 14). Slavery, Lincoln predicted, would bring about a change the United State's government. It was the major issue of the time. The country had to decide whether the new territories coming into the nation were going to be slave or free and whether that decision was to be left in the hands of the new territories or the existing states. The question as to whether the USA would become an entirely slave nation or a completely free nation had to

In his interests, in his associations, in his habits of thought, and in his prejudices, he was a white man. He was preeminently the white man's president, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men. He was ready and willing at any time during the last years of his administration to deny, postpone and sacrifice the rights of humanity in the colored people, to promote the welfare of white people in his country. (Sourcebook 431).

That question was answered by the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision in 1857 in what Lincoln deemed an unacceptable manner. The Dred Scott Decision basically stated that Congress had no right to make any law concerning the slavery issue. Slaves, congress argued were property and to have and control property is as inalienable right of American citizens protected under the Constitution (Sourcebook 271). This decision meant that, in the words of Lincoln, "if any one man choose to enslave another, no third man shall be allowed to object" (Johannsen 15). By preventing any future legislation and declaring void any past legislation the Dred Scott decision determined that slavery would be allowed throughout the United States and in the new territories. Lincoln thought that this was a move in the wrong direction; in the direction of "the perpetuity and nationalization of slavery" (Johannsen 55).

The opinions Lincoln espoused in his speeches and writings stated that blacks should not be deprived of their natural rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At the same time Lincoln thought blacks could not be considered socially or politically equal to whites. If he held true to those beliefs Lincoln would have agreed with the Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson. One can only wonder if Lincoln would have kept those beliefs if he had lived during a different time. Lincoln was a masterful politician who knew that public sentiment was the key to getting things done in America. Many of his opinions were heavily influenced by public opinion. In his debate with Douglas it is easy to see that Lincoln tried to temper his opinions to agree in part with public opinion (Johannsen 151). As public opinion concerning race relations with blacks changed over time would Lincoln's publicly stated views have changed? Was Lincoln just telling the public what it wanted to hear about race relations between blacks and whites, all along, because he knew that was the only way to sway public sentiment and free the slaves?

Lincoln had passed away by the time the 13th and 14th amendments were created. Those amendments, especially the14th amendment, assured blacks of all the rights of citizenship, including political rights. Lincoln might have turned over in his grave when he heard that blacks were going to be fulfilling the important political roles that he would have granted only to members of the superior white race (Johannsen 162). However, Plessy v. Ferguson was a case conc

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Approximate Word count = 1976
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)