The great tragedy is that a disproportionate number of the "newly-minted" freemen's descendants figured out a way to re-apply for slavery courtesy of the federal government. The existence of slavery is not the great tragedy in the history and growth of this country, the twentieth century federal institutionalization of slavery IS.

An article that fits here:
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/...

A remarkable man, and a remarkable speech, in a remarkable time. Though I am a proud Southerner, whose family sent twenty-one to fight, and only three returned, in retrospect can see the intestinal fortitude, and wisdom of the first “Republican” President. The Democrats are again dividing this country, despite what the majority wants, let us pray that the results are not the same. Washington as usual is misreading the election of ’08 as fiat to reshape America into a socialist utopia. If you’re in the political “business” don’t make long term plans.

Stan,
You are right. The Democrats are once again dividing the country. This time it isn't over the fabricated issue of slavery, it is another fabricated issue. It is no different now, than then. It is creating "haves" and "have nots". The history of the Civil War has been rewritten, and the true issue has been buried: States Rights.

They will do it again; they have been playing the game well since the end of the War.

As great a man as Lincoln might have been, all the bad things about today's Federal Government are directly related to the outcome of the War Between the States. Lincoln insured that the Federal Government would be dominant over the States, and would become the bureaucratic behemoth that is is today. Slavery aside, and no one is arguing over what a nasty institution it still is, the defeat of "States Rights" in the 1861-1865 war is the seminal turning point of the United States Government from one representing the people, to one representing the bureaucracy, professional politicians, and a differently enslaved minority. I say this as a person whose family fought and died as Yankee Soldiers, but who recognized the error of their ways later.

I fear that 2010 will not see relief. It's clear that the far left and it's supporters are consciously taking over the "counting of the votes" by electing leftist state officers, appointing leftist judges and controlling the "count". We saw the start of this in Minnesota this last election cycle, and another attempt in NY23 this month. By 2012, it may not matter who votes, it may only matter who decides which votes are valid and counted. It's more important that we focus on State and Local elections so that we keep our right to a free and fair election.

Slavery was an abomination, whose days where numbered regardless of what happened in the war. The first shots of the “The War of Northern Aggression, The War between the States,” finally the “Civil War,” were indeed fired over states rights. Lincoln selectively emancipated the slaves in September ‘1862 (Emancipation Proclamation) the war had been going since April ’61, and not going well. We must review history as these facts are unassailable, but we must get our heads straight for fielding good conservative candidates, and starting in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, etc. begin to vanquish ‘60s radicalism, liberalism, into the dust heap of failed ideas. “Yes we can!”

Stan,
On this topic, you're preaching to the choir.
The Civil War was not very civil, and it was the War of Northern Aggression; it continues unabated to this very day.

I memorized the Gettysburg Address when I was a kid growing up in the public schools of Tennessee and assumed the things it said were true. That's when I was a child.

Lincoln's words are a mockery when one considers that he held 13,000 northern political prisoners, without trial or due process of law – just because they disagreed with his illegal war.

Famous American writer H. L. Mencken (1880-1956), said of the Gettysburg Address: “The doctrine is simply this: that the Union soldiers who died at Gettysburg sacrificed their lives to the cause of self-determination – that government of the people, by the people, for the people should not perish from the earth. It is difficult to imagine anything more untrue. The Union soldiers in the battle actually fought against self-determination; it was the Confederates who fought for the right of their people to govern themselves.”

You are correct.
I too memorized it as a child. Today, kids cannot even spell Gettysburg.

If Lincoln had not been assassinated and deified, perhaps we'd know more, as a society, about this man who destroyed states rights forever. The point can't be argued today, even with your great first sentence, without being branded a racist. I pray that something similar will NOT happen today.

read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address…read obama's shout out on ft hood…rush to judgment.

If you notice in the address, Lincoln does not use the word "I" anywhere in the speech. The address went so far as to say that the dedication was not as important as the act of the soldiers who fought and for those who died there. This is a stark contrast to how this event would be played out today… that is if Obama would even show up for such an occasion.

But if he did, the speech would go more like this:

Title: President Barrack Obama at Gettysburg

"I was not yet born when this nation was founded so many years ago by a group of white men that stated "all men are created equal" but did not really believe that.

Now I have to mop up the mess of the previous administration who divided our country to the point where certain states, filled with mobs of angry teabaggers, felt that they must succeed from the union to keep up their ways of taking advantage of those not able to fend for themselves. When I came into office I gave a speech where I said I was strongly committed to making sure that the union stayed intact. General Grant has asked for more troops to ensure this but my advisors and I are stalling rather than increasing troops as requested to hopefully get the healthcare legislation through Congress before I dissappoint those in my base on the far left. But today we are here to celebrate this ground that I walk on, or as the media says (make quote gesture with hands) "I hover over" (wait for laughs to die down). I think this ground right under my feet, is where an a battle took place. So in order to demonstrate my committment to the soldiers and to my loyal subjects… er… the public, I have asked you, the media… except Fox News, to meet me here for a few photos showing how I am truly 100% behind our military.

Besides my giving a speech here today, this ground is important because it is here, and at battlefields thoughout the country, where soldiers and their families made the ultimate sacrifice so that a black man like me could be here today reading from these teleprompters as your President. That pretty much says it all doesn't it? Now comes the time that we need to provide compensatory redistribution to make up for the two hundred plus years of economic disparity to America's poor and minorities. All men and women must now be made to be equal. My administration is fully dedicated and appropriately staffed to fundimentally transform this country to this principle.

Thank you."

What a speech! I love Lincoln. I also love Reagan but I thought there were a bunch of apologies for America in his address . . . oh, silly me, I'm thinking of the second lincoln. I get them so confused sometimes. LOL

http://www.eyeconshirts.com

The most eloquent speech in american political history. If only the "under God" part had been left out.

Go ahead, vote me down. I'll say it here and say it proudly. I'm an atheist and I can't wait for a purge of the theocratic conservative part of the Republican party. Lincoln wasn't a libertarian (he suspended the writ of habeus corpus and tried to muzzle the press) but at least he wasn't an anti-intellectual git like Sarah Palin or Sean Hannity. Can't wait for you evangelical types to get your minds out of the bronze-age and into the 21st century.