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'm thinking related to the period after the War for the outcome was moot by the time of the assassination.
What would have been different had Lincoln had been able to direct the Nation toward his vision of Reconstruction as opposed to what actually evolved? Would things be different today? Would we see things differently today? Would we see each other differently today? Would our conversations here still be as polarized as they are?
We will never know for sure what things would have changed. There are many things that would not have changed. When one looks back into many of the posts that have been made here, you can see that many personal thought about the war still hold hurt and blame on both sides.
Last week I was had the honnor to attend the funural of the Great Grandson of General Juble Early. This man, true to family traditon, was a fighter. He fought all his life. Yet, this man loved each and every person that he came in contact with. Southern born, Rev. Dr. William Early, saw only the good in every man, woman and child. The bad, he forgave.
One conversaton I had with him about the Civil War, he stated that is was the most horrendus thing that could have happened. Yet he stated that if it had not happened, we would not, as a country, would have survived. He said that time will heal all wounds, some will take longer than others.
Lee and Jackson always beleaved in Divine Providence, surely Divine Providence is why Lincoln's plan for reconstructon was left for others to carry out in their own ways.
__________________ Located near Indianapolis, home of Col. Eli Lilly and the Eli Lilly Civil War Museum
What would have been different had Lincoln had been able to direct the Nation toward his vision of Reconstruction as opposed to what actually evolved? Would things be different today? Would we see things differently today? Would we see each other differently today? Would our conversations here still be as polarized as they are?
A great deal of the resentment felt then and, to a consequential degree today, would have been avoided. Had he lived, Lincoln would have pursued a moderate reconstruction (assuming that would be the name applied to a period of reconciliation) designed to bring the south back into amicable parity with the rest of the Union. Lincoln had not abandoned the idea that the Confederate States had never not been part of the US.
I've seen it opined that punitive motives had irresistible force after the war -- implying that not even Lincoln would have been able to resist the intentions of those bent on hanging everyone who wore gray, and several politicians. I can't see that Lincoln, having managed to keep them largely under control for four years, couldn't have managed another four. Lincoln would have concentrated in restoration of southern industry and economy. He would have insisted on unconditional emancipation and gradual, progressive suffrage. Think about it: there may not have been a KKK under Lincolns guidance of "restoration." Of course, Lincoln's influence, as great as it was, could not have reached effectively into county and local government. Progress would not have been as smooth as I've projected it, but it would certainly have been conducted so as to minimize the resentment that was created.
"Would things be different today?" Certainly. How much? Can't say. At the very least, the insult of Reconstruction would not be as great a factor in residual resentment.
"Would our conversations here still be as polarized as they are?" Probably. Our polarization is based on interest. The polarization evident on this and other CW boards indicates the attitudes of a fraction of one percent of the country as a whole. It is quite natural for families, and communities, and sections, and states, to band together against all others for no reason at all. The sports competitions between schools is reason enough to look down on the teams and communities of all other schools in the league. That sort of thing will always exist, but it has never (now I'm in trouble) been enough to keep you or me from backing each other when a threat occurs that transends such routine rivalries. And that is the root of our "polarization." Routine rivalry.
Robert Ardrey describes a certain type of monkey inhabiting a remote jungle somewhere in the world. It seems that this species is organized into extended families -- clans, if you will. And each clan's sole existence revolves around waking up in the morning, eating, and gathering at its borders to scream at, and receive the screams of, its neighboring clans. After a remarkably consistent period of screaming, all retire to their respective locations to feed and rest. Later, they will return to the borders for mutual screaming. Routine rivalry.
Seems I've rambled again. To respond shortly to your basic question, slightly different. There would be the routine rivalry, but there would be less heat absent the insult of reconstruction. A people can accept losing. Being kicked in the butt after the fact is intolerable.
Just a thought.
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
I believe the North would have not "mistreated" the South had Lincoln lived.
I believe the hard feelings after the war was not that
the South lost, but how the North took revenge on the
South through Reconstruction.
I believe the North would have not "mistreated" the South had Lincoln lived.
I believe the hard feelings after the war was not that
the South lost, but how the North took revenge on the
South through Reconstruction.
REVENGE! What are you talking about? What revenge?
The north was more magnamious in victory then they needed to be or the south deserved.
MISTREATMENT! What again are you talking about?
Mistreatment of who, no one was ever hailed accountable for their treasonous behavior.
I am at a loss of what you were implying in this post.
The great tradgedy, was the aborting of the reconstruction of the south. I
MO, If Lincoln had survived, his natural moderation and sympathy for the poor and deprived (plus his clear vision of the fallibility of human nature) would have led to a much more successful reintegration of the south into the Union.
The difficulty of implementing his very moderate 10% Plan during war, had warned him of the deep resistence of the southern leadership to emancipation, would have influenced Lincoln in realizing that conflict was assured if the ex-slave was not fully integrated into American society.
In the 1960's the fulcrum of the Integration efforts in American society, was the emancipation legislation added to the Constitution during and just after the CW, which Lincoln either initiated or favored This indicates, to me, that if Lincoln had lived, a much more securely realized integration would have occured much sooner than a century later.
In the main, Opn, another bingo! The vengeful rads in congress following the war got their way a bit too often. I think Lincoln's influence would have made it less so. Several reconstruction measures were specifically designed to be maliciously insulting. Lincoln would have vetoed them. Johnson tried, but he simply wasn't up to Lincoln's standard. At least, he foiled their attempts to hang all the CSA notables.
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
Lincoln is too often seen as a great war leader, when, in fact he was also a great politician. Although mostly self educated, he was well grounded the great theories of gov't. Well schooled in the American legal system and a close student of the country's political craft, besides being a sharp observer of human nature and was very good judge of people that he met.
I do feel, that Lincoln's death was a great tradegy, that reverberates throughout America's society to this very day.
Lincoln did manage to walk the tightrope between numerous competing factions throughout the war years. I imagine he might have done as well thru his second term.
As a caveate I might add that it was in some way a blessing (for him) that he was killed, because he was free from that great burden. Also one might wonder if his health would endure under the continued stress. If Booth didn't kill him, managing the Reconstruction just may have.
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__________________ -
"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
Amen, samgrant. The pressure might have been a bit overmuch.
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
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