A Texan looks at Lincoln on the 200th anniversary of his birth

2009 marks the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. Both men were responsible for shaping the way that people looked at themselves. Both men made radical changes in their perspective fields. The bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth is the focal point of many political pundits. With the approaching bicentennial of his birth, people will examine who he was and what he did.

Throughout the State of Illinois and Washington D. C., plans are being made to commemorate the birth of this politician who is an icon in American and International politics. Several national polls (Gallup-2007, ABC -2000) ranked him the most influential and best president. In the polls where he is not first, he is often considered in the top three of Presidents considered the “best”.

In Washington, D.C., the following events are scheduled as part of the celebrations:

The inaugration of Barack Hussein Obama will include period fare with an emphasis on Lincoln's favorite foods.

· February 12, 2009, Lincoln's Birthday Tribute and Wreath Laying

· February 12, 2009 – Reopening of Ford’s Theatre

· April 12, 2009 (Easter Sunday) Re-enactment of Marian Anderson's Easter Concert

· April 16, 2009 Emancipation Day Parade

· April 16-19, 2009 American Association of Lincoln Presenters

· May 30, 2009 Re-Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial

October 9, 2009 March 25, 2010-Lincoln and New York-New York

“Manhunt: Chasing Lincoln’s Killer”- Newseum
Washington, DC February 14-December 31, 2009

To learn more, visit: www.newseum.org

“Lincoln – the Early Years”
Riverside County Library System-

3581 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501

For more information, visit: http://www.riverside.lib.ca.us/

"With Malice Toward None:  The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibit" 

For more information, visit: http://www.newberry.org/

Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life-Washington D. C.

As part of the Smithsonian-wide celebration of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, the museum will bring together for the first time its unique and unparalleled Lincoln collection.

From January 16, 2009 thru January 2011

For more information, visit:  http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=1210

Newark – Thursday, November 12^th

Theme: The Humane City: Race, Ethnicity, and Freedom in Urban America

Thursday, November 12th, Evening

The Honor of Your Company is Requested: President Lincoln's Inaugural Ball

This small, focused exhibition will relate Lincoln's inaugural ball to the museum's historic home and history. The exhibition will feature ephemera from the inaugural ball.

Through January 18, 2010

For more information, visit:  http://www.npg.si.edu/

There will also be two versions of a commemorative penny. The commemorative coin will emphasize the childhood of this political figure. Besides coins, there are commemorative plates and other items marking the bicentennial of Lincoln. The commemorative penny will feature scenes associated with Lincoln's past on the obverse side of the coin. This is not the first Lincoln commemorative coin. On the centennial of his birth, a half-dollar coin was minted to mark the occasion.

The famous Lincoln Logs are also planning a commemorative edition of their product to mark the bicentennial of this President.

Celebrations are also planned at the University of Illinois and Loyola University and other locations throughout the States of Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana.

any celebrations pay homage to the man and the popular myths that surround him. Among these myths are the image of “Honest Abe”, Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, and Lincoln as protector of the United States. How well do those celebrating know the real Lincoln and his policies? Lincoln looks very different from the perspective of those in Texas and the South.

Lincoln is often credited with supporting the “War of Texas Independence”, yet the quote often used to support that statement was made in 1848 rather than 1836. When Texas won its independence, Lincoln had not even set for the bar exam. If his speech about how people can rise up and shake off the government was not about Texas, or the Mexican War, what uprising was Lincoln referring to? The year 1848 was the year of socialist and communist uprisings across Europe. Lincoln’s statements were supportive of those actions of renegade generals and mobs, yet he was opposed to the Mexican War. Those uprising occurred in Germany, France, Hungary, Italy and other locations as military leaders attempted implementing the socialist ideas of Marx and Engles by force.

Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable, a most sacred right - a right which we hope and believe is to liberate the world. Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people, that can, may revolutionize, and make their own of so much of the territory as they inhabit. -- Abraham Lincoln January 12, 1848

Lincoln went on record as being opposed to President John Knox Polk’s actions in the Mexican War. Lincoln went so far as to consider the Mexican War as "unconstitutional" since he took action independent of Congress and did not seek diplomatic solutions before military action and several other reasons. How is it that Lincoln opposed the United States in their military actions against Mexico, yet supported the socialists in Europe seeking to overthrow legitimate governments?

Lincoln admired the leaders of the socialist uprisings in Europe. Many of those socialist leaders failed in their uprising attempts and were banned from their home countries. These same leaders were given later commissioned as officers in Lincoln’s army. Augustus Willich was a personal friend of Marx, and enlisted Frederick Engles as his aide-de-camp during the uprisings. His unit was the first to raise the red flag which is associated with followers fo Marx and Engles. Willich started communist groups in Ohio, and often lectured his followers and troops on the virtues of that philosophy. Other socialist commanders that were commissioned into Lincoln’s army included Carl Schurz, Alexander von Schimmelfennig, Max von Weber, and Karl Leopold Matthies.

Abraham Lincoln was not even on the election ballot in Texas. When he won the election with 39.8% of the popular votes, the people of Texas were upset. He had more votes than his opponents, yet winning the election with less than 40% of the votes was a concern, since the states electing him were the Northern ones. Texans believed that their concerns and needs had been ignored. Texas had threatened secession in 1848, again in 1850 and the election of Lincoln in 1860 caused the issue to rise again.

To make matters worse, he quickly issued a call for volunteers to invade the Southern states. Issuing such a controversial order BEFORE being inaugurated and without Congressional approval was seen as provocative. The provocation was made worse since it was issued while Congress was not in session. It is one thing to not obtain Congressional approval, Lincoln made sure his actions took place when Congress was not even in session. His action was in direct violation of the same actions that he criticized President James Knox Polk for. Unbeknownst to many in Texas, he had also dispatched ships loaded with soldiers bound for Texas as part of his miitary mobilization.

The same Congressman from Illinois who opposed the Mexican War on grounds that Congress was not consulted and that there were other options besides invasion to resolve issues takes similar action now that he is President. The statesmen of Texas saw through the hypocrisy and took action. Even Sam Houston did not trust Lincoln, even though he had been considered as a potential Vice-President for Abraham Lincoln during the campaign.

The world saw how Lincoln sent troops into Maryland in early 1861 just weeks after his inauguration. The State Legislature was locked up in order to prevent these duly elected representatives from performing their duties. The whole State was placed under direct Federal control and operated under martial law. Weapons and newspapers were seized in the immediate takeover. The seizure of citizens without trial in violation of habeus corpus concerned the Supreme Court. Justice Taney of the Supreme Court expressed his concern to Abraham Lincoln, who disregarded it.

Consider if a contemporary political figure won the Presidency with less than a majority, called up troops to invade other states, disregarded the authority of Congress, ordered the invasion of your home State, disregarded the Supreme Court, seized weapons from private citizens, imposed censorship and imposed martial law on a whole state all within 14 weeks of taking office. Many Texans considered his actions more akin to a tyrant than to an elected official sworn to uphold the Constitution.

Lincoln knew he had a problem in subduing the Southern States. In dealing with the problem he called in knowledgable people who had experience in war and subduing others. One of the men he brought in to consult with was Giuseppe Garibaldi of Italy.Garibaldi had earned a reputation in the Uraguayan Civil War and had fought in Italy for unification by joining the various city states into a united whole by using force.Now Abraham Lincoln wanted to unify the States of America by force into a centralized unified nation rather than a collection of States working in unison. Lincoln brought him over from Italy to discuss how the Confederate States could be subdued. From his actions, Lincoln never wanted a negotiated solution to the conflict, he wanted subjugation.

Despite having pledged to not interfere with slavery in his inaugural speech, he later did so.

"I have no purpose, directly of indirectly to interfere with the instution of slavery in the States where it exists, I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so"-Abraham Lincoln, 1860

This was not so different than his attitude on the subject during the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858:

"I have no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and black races. There is a physical difference between the two, which in my judgment, will probably forever forbid their living together upon the footing of perfect equality.  "I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people. I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

Even though he is labeled the “great emancipator”, Lincoln did not free any slaves in the States under Federal control. When the Congress freed the slaves in the district of Columbia, monies ($600,000) were set aside to send them back to Africa. Lincoln instructed his Secretary of the Interior (Caleb Smith) to work out the plans for that colonization. Senator Samuel Pomeroy, who worked on the plan proposed settling them in a Central American colony entitled "Linconia".

The Emancipation Proclamation only freed those slaves that were in the Confederate States of America. It did not free the slaves in Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware or other States which allowed slavery but were not joined to the Confederate States. Lincoln did not have the executive authority to free the slaves in another nation, but that did not stop him. He knew that it was only a war time measure designed to pressure England and France into not supporting the Confederate States.

The press in those European nations saw through the Emancipation Proclamation and recognized it as a ploy and saw through the hypocricy.

"The principle [of the Proclamation] is not that a human being cannot justly own another, but that he cannot own him unless he is loyal to the United States"-the London Spectator

This President who pledged not to interfere with slavery, now turned slavery into a political issue.It was a way to obtain votes and keep the Southern States from receiving the support of France and England. He changed the nation from one that emphasized liberty to one that emphasized 'equality' as it primary purpose. Prior to the issuance of the Proclamation, the war had been about keeping the States in the Union along with their tariffs which made up over 90% of the Federal budget. In his efforts to finance his war, Lincoln was also initiated the first income tax. This was a radical change for the nation, to shift its source of revenue from tariffs on goods to taxing the incomes of the people.

Abraham Lincoln, or as many Texans of the period referred to as "Abraham the First" also has the distinction of having ordered the largest mass hanging in US history. He wanted the Sioux Indians exterminated. His orders to hang 303 male Indians was precedent setting.

"Ordered that of the Indians and Half-breeds sentenced to be hanged by the military commission, composed of Colonel Crooks, Lt. Colonel Marshall, Captain Grant, Captain Bailey, and Lieutenant Olin, and lately sitting in Minnesota, you cause to be executed on Friday the nineteenth day of December, instant, the following names, to wit [39 names listed by case number of record: cases 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22, 24, 35, 67, 68, 69, 70, 96, 115, 121, 138, 155, 170, 175, 178, 210, 225, 254, 264, 279, 318, 327, 333, 342, 359, 373, 377, 382, 383]. The other condemned prisoners you will hold subject to further orders, taking care that they neither escape, nor are subjected to any unlawful violence."

-Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States

Fortunately, President Lincoln's orders were not carried out. (Some Lincoln pundits have managed spinning the story to show his 'humanitarian" side). Rather than the scheduled 303 men hanged, only 38 members of the Santee Sioux tribe were hanged on December 27, 1862 at Mankato, Minnesota This was four days prior to issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The timing indicated that President Lincoln only wanted some races of men freed rather than all.

To put his actions in perspective consider the list of top mass murders in the United States history:

Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols-168

Julio Gonzales-87

Jack GIlbert Graham-44

David Burke-43

Martin Bryant-35

Depending on whether ones adds the Branch Davidians at Waco-87, the incident at Mankato places Lincoln in the top 10 of top US mass murderers at 38. If you consider that he wanted 303 hanged, he would have been regarded as the #1 mass murderer in US history. Lincoln's actions toward the Sioux Indians was far from humanitarian.

Many people believe Lincoln is deserving of respect since it is reported that he was a “Christian” and made a Thanksgiving proclamation. Consider the following quotes attributed to Lincoln concerning these matters.

“The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession.”

[Lincoln's attitude toward the Bible takes on a whole new significance in the light of President Barack Hussein Obama is choosing to use Lincoln's Bible for his innaugaration]. 

“My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.”

Lincoln made it clear that he had no use for the Holy Bible in terms of his own convictions. He did use it for employing religious images and themes in his speeches since it pleased his public. 

It is true that Abraham Lincoln discussed religious matters with others. One of the men who influenced Lincoln was the transendentalist Theodore Parker. It was Theodore Parker who first coined the term "government of the people, by the people and for the people" that eventually found its way into the Gettysburg Address.

Lincoln was astute at rhetoric. He often used Christian sounding images in his speeches which gave the people the appearance they wanted.When Lincoln was asked about his Thanksgiving proclamation, he stated, “Oh, that [his Thanksgiving Message] is some of Seward's nonsense, and it pleases the fools.”

Scholars often debate Lincoln and his views on religion. Each side produces quotes and letters that support their position. The fact that it is difficult to know precisely where Lincoln stood on such matters speaks volumes.

The heroes venerated by a society say a great deal about the values they cherish. The heroes are a statement about how they see themselves. Before venerating Lincoln and his accomplishments with the masses, it is important to consider what the values are that he represents and whether those values are worthy of your support.

Many people are familiar with the image of Lincoln conveyed by the socialist Carl Sandburg in his multi-volume biography. When a Texan or Southerner looks at Lincoln, they see another side. They found themselves on the brunt of his policies and saw the hypocrisy of this political hack. He often said one thing and did something else. When his actions and policies are examined, a very different portrayal of this man often seen as a sacred cow of many is seen.

How well do you know the REAL Abraham Lincoln?

An examination of his actions as an elected representative show that he was NOT the great Emancipator he is often pictured to be.

-He often used the terms ‘superior and inferior’ in referring to racial matters and opposed racial equality with vehemence. 

-Despite the Emancipation Proclamation, in his political record, he supported strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law, which used force to return slaves to their owners. 

-Although slaves were ‘free’ in Illinois, Lincoln supported the laws that prevented black citizenship in the State along with preventing the further immigration of blacks into Illinois. 

-Contrary to the myths that often surround the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln opposed blacks suffrage (the right to vote). He also opposed blacks serving on juries, and mixed race marriages with whites. 

-When his generals attempted emancipating slaves in Missouri and Georgia early in the invasion of the South, they were disciplined and the orders were countermanded. 

In terms of politics, he was not the champion of the 'common man' by any stretch of the imagination. 

-In modern terms, he was a lobbyist who protected the railroad industry. Like many of his admirers he desired corporate welfare, where the government gave funds to industry. 

-When riots broke out in New York City (the REAL Civil War), he ordered troops onto the streets of the city. The men he sent were fresh from the battle of Gettysburg. They used deadly force by shooting hundreds down on city streets. 

-Although he is championed as a defender of freedom, he censored all telegraph communication and shut down many newspapers. His actions included placing the editors in jail to prevent their speaking out.