Did Lincoln believe in "Manifest Destiny?"

[irshgrl500]

(12-02-2013 11:30 AM)LincolnMan Wrote:  I was thinking along the sames lines Roger. I hope others weigh in on this. It's an interesting question. Plus, Nathan wants to hear also.

You seem to pose the most interesting queries. I thought that most true Whigs, including Abraham Lincoln rejected the idea of "Manifest Destiny". Originally, knowing AL's reasons for moving forth in the civil war (he believed that seccession of any state was truly unconstitutional.), one would think that AL was in favor of the concept. Maybe I've made more assumptions than I should have, and AL is often "lumped" into believing or disbelieving ideas and movements, he was never even personally asked about, while he was alive. Historians or would be historians, at times, can make this leap, particularly with a popular figure, like Abraham Lincoln. AL was a funny guy, and rarely seemed to give or offer his opinion or thoughts about an issue, unless he truly felt strongly about it. Most of his conversations were steeped in parables and allegories, and therefore very difficult to distinguish the speaker from the characters of representations he used. In other words, it was a way of communicating for AL, which was "safe", and didn't require his commitment on a said issue or topic.
There is plenty to be said of the concept, "Manifest Destiny", but as it was an idea, which came out of the 19th century, though could be applied to many times, and situations. The "west" seems to almost always invoke, something "better" and rural or aragian in a group of living, works only to the extent that the group is somewhat self sustaining.