“When Southern people tell us they are no more responsible for the origin of slavery than we are, I acknowledge the fact. When it is said that the institution exists, and that it is very difficult to get rid of it in any satisfactory way, I can understand and appreciate the saying.”
- February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865
- American
- Politician, lawyer
- As the 16th President of the United States, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation and led the Civil War to maintain the unity of the nation.
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Quote
“When Southern people tell us they are no more responsible for the origin of slavery than we are, I acknowledge the fact. When it is said that the institution exists, and that it is very difficult to get rid of it in any satisfactory way, I can understand and appreciate the saying.”
Explanation
In this statement, Abraham Lincoln is acknowledging the complexity of the issue of slavery, particularly in the context of the Southern states. He recognizes the historical origins of slavery, which predated the current generation of Americans, and acknowledges that people in the South are not personally responsible for its establishment. This comment reflects Lincoln’s pragmatic understanding of the institution, acknowledging its deep roots and the difficulties involved in dismantling it. Lincoln was careful not to alienate the Southern states by simply condemning them; instead, he tried to frame the issue in a way that recognized the challenges of change while still advocating for the abolition of slavery.
The historical background here is crucial. By the time Lincoln made this statement, slavery had been entrenched in the Southern economy and society for over two hundred years, making it an extremely difficult institution to eradicate. The Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850 were attempts to address the growing sectional conflict over slavery, but each solution failed to resolve the deeper moral and economic contradictions that slavery posed to the Union. In this context, Lincoln’s words reflect an understanding of the regional differences in attitudes toward slavery and the complexity of the issue in balancing states’ rights with national unity.
Lincoln’s approach to the issue of slavery evolved over time. While he initially emphasized the preservation of the Union over immediate abolition, he eventually came to see the abolition of slavery as integral to the nation’s moral and political future. His words here reflect the difficulty of addressing slavery without causing more division, yet they also foreshadow the eventual moral clarity he would bring to the issue. Today, this approach can be seen as a reminder that social changes, especially those involving deeply rooted systems, often require both acknowledgment of historical contexts and the courage to overcome inertia and injustice for the greater good.
