What if Lewis Powell's gun had fired?

[MaddieM]

It is an argument I disagree with. I think what explains it is that one man who was precipitously close to the edge was thrown over the edge when Lincoln announced that he wanted to give the vote to some black men who had fought for their country, and that a group of hangers-on who were enthralled with him were happy to do whatever he asked. One was willing to attack an invalid in his bed and to nearly kill him and other innocent victims.

And as for your last point, I'm not enough of a philosopher to answer that. I will say, however, that most people who go to war see the difference. When you face an enemy, generally that enemy has a weapon similar to yours and has the same chance that you do of either surviving or being killed. That did not apply in this case.

Best
Rob

yes, that's a good point. However, there are nearly always peripheral victims of war - those innocents caught in the cross fire, be it literally or emotionally. All war has far reaching effects. And we would be naive to believe that only those wielding the weapons are the ones who die.

I personally think that the conspirators were just as much victims of the war as Lincoln and Seward with one exception. They didn't start it.