Lincoln and the Thirteenth Amendment

[Eva Elisabeth]

(10-06-2015 03:14 PM)Christian Wrote:  As to the amendment specifically, I think his decisions were primarily political/legal/constitutional. On the broader issue of slavery, however, one can get a glimpse into his thoughts on this issue by looking at the second half of his second inaugural address (and elsewhere).

Welcome again, Christian. I put your book on my wishlist.
Of course you are the expert, and this not to cast doubts on your judgement but trying to understand:

Was it possible to make this decision uninfluenced by Christian values? If not his Christian/moral/ethical values, what would (his [???]) entirely political motives have been?
And I would think from the legal point of view there was no need to ammend the constitution - and do constitutions and laws have to be just/fair from the mere legal point of view? From the Christian/moral/ethical point of view certainly. Was there an absolute need to amend the constitution other than for humanity? (Do you know what I mean? Non-Christian/humanity motives I would think are such as ending the three-fifths rule to count the slave population for representation in the House of Representatives, or economical or other advantages, and I just can't see such motives making Lincoln's decision.)