Civil War History - "What if..." DiscussionsWhat if they had attacked instead of digging in...? What if he was in charge of the army instead...? Did you ever have a "What if..." question, and you weren't sure where to post it? Here's the place to ask these speculative questions!
I agree, the war had exhausted Lincoln, physically and psychologically.
Hoever, it is possible that the ending of the war and the actual killing of the conflict, may have rejuvenated Licoln's psyche. Lincoln seems to have been a driven man in some ways, he aspired to political office and seemed to relish the interactions of the political process itself.
My main caveat, would be that If Booth had not shot him it may have only delayed his assassination.
IMO The hand of fate (God?) was heavy on Linclon.
If Lincoln had lived there is one thing that is for sure- he would not have achieved Sainthood.
His racism would have been felt during Reconstruction. So he would not have a false robe of non- prejudice.
It would be easier to examine the issues and ask questions.
Science goes back over experiments it has already done to check new information, to test results, to make sure the results are not influenced by present conditions.
History does not do this. It is what we memorize in school. It is who won or lost, not why. If Lincoln had lived, this re-examination would be easier to do.
When Booth killed Lincoln instead of spawning Southern anger it provoked disgust. The action turned him into a superhuman. It has made the simple act of re-examining difficult.
If he had lived, calling him a military dictator and racist might not shock as many people, and might be easier to admit.
If he had lived tell old age history would have been kind to him.
Believe you are absolutely right on this, 5fish. He had is political enemies and there would have been some knock-down drag-out battles with the radicals. But all I've ever read about him (and some were not charitable) shows that he was a decent and a fair man. All the talk about a racist dictator, notwithstanding, history would tell of his singular contribution to the Union.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
How is he remembered by history? How do legitimate historians regard him?
Compared to Davis and most people today go: "Who is Davis?"
Davis, ranked as a first loser in history when compared to Lincoln. Even when his apologists attempt to claim the CS was tricked into war they are essentailly admitting Davis, a career politician, was outwitted, outmanuevered and outthought by a self educated man who in no way could have been considered a part of the social or cultural elite. A common man wiped the walls with the gem of CS manhood in the form of Davis. No matter how you look at it Davis comes out second best when compared to Lincoln... and I'm not even that much of a fan of Lincoln!
Lincoln did this! He did that! hehehe Well guess what, so did Davis and in spades. But history will always remember Lincoln for one great thing, the Emancipation Proclomation. Whereas Davis will always be remembered for... who is that guy again? Oh yeah, the fella that wouldn't free the slaves; the fella that betrayed his country and the gent that ordered shots fired at US soldiers. Why is it any proud US citizen would think highly of him again? He was a good speaker... umm he was a good speaker?
__________________
Shane Christen
American Legion Post 352
SUVCW Camp Abernethy# 48
Lifetime NRA member
3rd MN VI
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccl 1:18
How is he remembered by history? How do legitimate historians regard him?
Compared to Davis and most people today go: "Who is Davis?"
Davis, ranked as a first loser in history when compared to Lincoln. Even when his apologists attempt to claim the CS was tricked into war they are essentailly admitting Davis, a career politician, was outwitted, outmanuevered and outthought by a self educated man who in no way could have been considered a part of the social or cultural elite. A common man wiped the walls with the gem of CS manhood in the form of Davis. No matter how you look at it Davis comes out second best when compared to Lincoln... and I'm not even that much of a fan of Lincoln!
Lincoln did this! He did that! hehehe Well guess what, so did Davis and in spades. But history will always remember Lincoln for one great thing, the Emancipation Proclomation. Whereas Davis will always be remembered for... who is that guy again? Oh yeah, the fella that wouldn't free the slaves; the fella that betrayed his country and the gent that ordered shots fired at US soldiers. Why is it any proud US citizen would think highly of him again? He was a good speaker... umm he was a good speaker?
...same ole BS...
__________________ POWER & MONEY
"Your New-York bankers and merchants are shrewd people, but I never gave them credit for so much sagacity as when they took the Government Loan. It was not merely patriotism, it was a high stroke of policy. It has saved the Government, and what they will regard as equally important, saved them from a great financial disaster."
Everything Lincoln did, you can usually find where Davis also did it -- and usually Davis did it first. Declaring martial law, suspending habeas corpus, imprisoning people for their political beliefs, etc., etc. -- Davis and the Confederacy did it all. But what we find is that people like you want to see only Lincoln's actions, and talk about them as if they existed in a vacumn, divorced from a life-and-death struggle against an armed foe.
Tim
__________________ "Let us, then, consider all attempts to weaken this Union, by maintaining that each state is separately and individually independent, as a species of political heresy, which can never benefit us, but may bring on us the most serious distresses."
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, 1740-1824, Revolutionary War soldier, one of the authors of the US Constitution in 1787, speaking at the South Carolina Ratifying Convention in 1788.
"Your New-York bankers and merchants are shrewd people, but I never gave them credit for so much sagacity as when they took the Government Loan. It was not merely patriotism, it was a high stroke of policy. It has saved the Government, and what they will regard as equally important, saved them from a great financial disaster."
I think that if Lincoln had survived, the period we know as Reconstruction would have been alot different. As has been said by others, it would have beem more a period of reconciliation, not reconstruction. Lincoln was more for the idea of letting men like Davis go to Europe then trying them or hanging them. He wanted to bring the states back together and reconcile differences. He would still enforce the EP, and I am not saying that there wouldn't be problems, but it would have turned out a heckuva lot different than it did.
Unfortunately, this is all conjecture. We will never know if Reconstruction would have ended up different and if the wounds of a torn nations would have healed better than they did. We can only guess. We can compare and contrast the did happens to the did nots, but in the end, we still only have the dids.
__________________ "The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize." George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796
Everything Lincoln did, you can usually find where Davis also did it -- and usually Davis did it first. Declaring martial law, suspending habeas corpus, imprisoning people for their political beliefs, etc., etc. -- Davis and the Confederacy did it all. But what we find is that people like you want to see only Lincoln's actions, and talk about them as if they existed in a vacumn, divorced from a life-and-death struggle against an armed foe.
But then we have a long record on this forum of examples of you distorting the truth and hiding facts that you don't like, illustrated time after time. Anyone who reviews that record understands that you will do anything to avoid admitting what you don't like. Posting silly icons and question marks and "..." just damages your credibility more. I urge you to stop doing it, as I have dozens of times before this.
Tim
__________________ "Let us, then, consider all attempts to weaken this Union, by maintaining that each state is separately and individually independent, as a species of political heresy, which can never benefit us, but may bring on us the most serious distresses."
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, 1740-1824, Revolutionary War soldier, one of the authors of the US Constitution in 1787, speaking at the South Carolina Ratifying Convention in 1788.
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