Abraham Lincoln
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Richard N. Current, the author of Speaking of Abraham Lincoln: The Man and His Meaning for Our Times, has captured the complexity of the controversial image of Lincoln. An eminent historian and a Harmsworth Professor of History at Oxford University and Fulbright Professor at the universities of Munich and Santiago, Current has written four books on the subject of Lincoln, including Lincoln the President: Last Full Measure ("Note on the Author"). This book consists of a chronological arrangement of eleven lectures Current delivered over 25 years ("Preface"). In this work, Current examines the diversity of literature on Lincoln in order to dispel the misinformation about him. Specifically, Current explores Lincoln's stance towards slavery and the Civil War, which also reveals Lincoln's underlying character. Current's intention is to present a balanced perspective of Lincoln who was neither a Radical abolitionist nor a pro-slavery president. To Current, Lincoln was an astute politician who was willing to manipulate the situation in order to achieve his objective of saving the Union. Unlike many of Lincoln's admirers who celebrate him as the Emancipator of slaves, Current believes that Lincoln prioritized the Union of the country over the welfare of the slaves. In the second essay in the book, "Friend of Freedom," Current describes the fact that at the beginning of the war, Lincoln was unwilling to act against slavery because he did not want to antagonize the border states (Cu
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sion," Current seems to contradict himself about Lincoln's position on slavery. Unlike his initial depiction of Lincoln's indifference towards slavery except for the purpose it would serve for saving the Union of the country, Current cites impressive examples of Lincoln's condemnation against slavery. In his debates against Stephen A. Douglas in 1858, Lincoln stressed that the Declaration asserted that all men were equal "in all respects" (Current 101). Furthermore, Lincoln stated vehemently his abhorrence of the institution of slavery: "I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the worldą" (Current 102).
However, considering that 20 years have elapsed between his second essay and the above essay, Current may have shifted in his thinking towards Lincoln's position on slavery. In his essay, "Lincoln the Southerner," presented in 1982, Current ultimately provides a balanced perspective of Lincoln. He emphasizes that Lincoln was not in favor of the white supremacists. At the same time, Current feels that the recent historians who interpret Lincoln as a Radical abolitionist are also incorrect. Analyzing Lincoln's Reconstruction Bill and his public address in Louisiana, Current proves convincingly
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Approximate Word count = 1213
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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