Not a Socialist, But a Marxist?

[Steve]

Here's a link to the same article printed in another paper without a paywall:

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/2019072...am-lincoln

I have to respectfully disagree with Rob that the tone of the article is balanced. For instance, the author quotes Lincoln's reply to the New York Workingmen's Democratic Republican Association of March 21, 1864 but the quote is cherrypicked and removed from its context. Here's the quote in context which follows his recitation of the 1861 Annual Address to Congress:

The views then expressed remain unchanged, nor have I much to add. None are so deeply interested to resist the present rebellion as the working people. Let them beware of prejudice, working division and hostility among themselves. The most notable feature of a disturbance in your city last summer, was the hanging of some working people by other working people. It should never be so. The strongest bond of human sympathy, outside of the family relation, should be one uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds. Nor should this lead to a war upon property, or the owners of property. Property is the fruit of labor ---property is desirable --- --- is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.


The quote of "uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds" follows Lincoln mentioning the New York draft riots of the previous year where white rioters, mostly Irish immigrants, attacked black workingmen. (Along with white women married to black men, businesses [both white and black] which catered to black clients, and destroying the Colored Orphanage.)

Lincoln then follows the quote talking about the virtues of property, industry, refraining from violence, and becoming rich through one's labor.

I also would like to point out that the first volume of Das Kapital wasn't published until 1867, two years after Lincoln's death. So, a coherent "Marxist philosophy" didn't quite exist at this time. Also, the International Workingmen's Association, which Marx was a member, wasn't founded until September 1864, so the New York group couldn't have been a chapter of it in March 1864.

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Here's a link to an 1863 pamphlet of the New York Workingmen's Democratic Republican Association from the Sotheby's website, if anybody's interested:

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecat....2142.html