When I was very young, I wasn't quite sure if I liked Abraham Lincoln. It was probably after watching 'Gone With The Wind'. I live in Alabama, and have been to Atlanta, GA. many times and knew quite a bit about Sherman's march. Yeah, I know...'war's hell'. But then I was a very idealistic little girl. I knew that slavery needed to go; had to go; but I thought the North went a little overkill with the destruction. Then I heard the song 'Johnny Reb' on Johnny Horton's album: 'When Honest Abe heard the news about the fall, the folks thought he'd call a great victory ball; but he asked the band to play the song Dixie, for you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believed...' I was later taught that it was believed that one reason President Lincoln was assasinated was because he wanted to restore the south to the Union in a much kinder way than reconstruction turned out to be.
It's tragic that the war took place because some rich plantation owners were greedy and/or lazy. Some people say it was more about state's rights than slavery, but it's really the same thing, I think, state's rights to have slaves. It is also tragic that some in the north wanted to punish the south instead of restore it...they couldn't see that, really, the south had been punished enough.
I'm grateful for President Lincoln. I'm glad he had the strength and insight to keep our nation united. So, happy birthday, Abraham Lincoln.
kdr
It's tragic that the war took place because some rich plantation owners were greedy and/or lazy. Some people say it was more about state's rights than slavery, but it's really the same thing, I think, state's rights to have slaves. It is also tragic that some in the north wanted to punish the south instead of restore it...they couldn't see that, really, the south had been punished enough.
I'm grateful for President Lincoln. I'm glad he had the strength and insight to keep our nation united. So, happy birthday, Abraham Lincoln.
kdr
