Lincoln

In August of 1862, Abraham Lincoln was pressed with a very controversial issue facing the United States. As commander in chief, he had to weigh the policy of slavery. Lincoln's main focus was to restore the Union. He was personally against slavery, but it had no effect on his views. (Lincoln's response letter to Horace Greeley)

Lincoln wanted to save the Union at all costs. In the letter response to Horace Greeley, Lincoln stated that he did not agree with those who would not save the Union unless they could save slavery at the same time. His stated object was to save the Union, not to save or 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 do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." Whether Lincoln hurt or helped the slaves, it was all for the sake and well-being of the Union. "The sooner the national authority can be restored, the nearer the Union will be 'the Union as it was.'"

President Lincoln was unbiased and open-minded to ideas involving the saving of the Union. "I shall try to correct errors when they are shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views as fast as they shall appear to be true views." Basically, he will do anything he can to help the cause. Even though Lincoln tried to hear and respond to the nation's wishes, he had to favor the rejection of the doctrine of popular sovereignty. (Electronic Resource) A possible explanation for this decision may have been that he felt the government was better