View single post by Wrap10
 Posted: Mon Sep 15th, 2008 12:05 am
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Wrap10
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Joined: Sat Jul 28th, 2007
Location: Oklahoma USA
Posts: 97
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 Lincoln had to operate within what was and what was not realistically possible. But what was probably not realistically possible in the 1860's was racial equality. It's possible that the country would have moved closer to that goal with Lincoln as president during Reconstruction than was actually the case. And in fact I think that's a pretty good bet. But it's not something we can really know.

A book that might give some insight on how Lincoln may have approached Reconstruction is one called Lincoln and Black Freedom, by LaWanda Cox. It's been several years since I read it, but much of it deals with Lincoln's approach to reconstruction in Union-held Louisiana during the war. Cox refers to Lincoln's whole approach as being "the art of the possible." Chances are he would have taken a similar approach in post-war Reconstruction, if he had been given the chance.

Perry