Abraham Lincoln

            President Abraham Lincoln said in 1858, "I am not, nor ever .
             have been, in favor of bringing about in anyway the social .
             and political equality of the white and black races." .
             President Lincoln is widely believed to be the fabled .
             liberator of the slaves. However, Lincoln showed time and .
             time again that he only cared about the fate of blacks as it .
             served him and the interests of his administration. .
             The major objective of President Lincoln's .
             administration was to preserve and sustain the Union. The .
             southern states" insurgence started as a result of disputes .
             over states rights and representation in Congress; it was .
             coincidence that most of the disputes in congress revolved .
             around slavery. The Civil War actually had little to do .
             with slavery. .
             During the Civil War President Lincoln wrote and .
             delivered the Emancipation Proclamation. It is true that .
             this document freed slaves, however, it did not free all of .
             the slaves. It left the slaves of the boarder states in .
             bondage. The Emancipation Proclamation order only the .
             slaves released that were in areas still in rebellion. .
             These two instances show that while Lincoln had no .
             intention of changing relations between the races, .
             circumstances dictated that he needed to change them to a .
             certain extent. This supports the original statement made .
             by President Lincoln in 1858.