The big problem with Lincoln is that he was assassinated before we could really see what he would do with his executive powers.
Was he a dictator during the civil war? Yeah, but as the early roman republic taught us that is not a bad thing. You need strong centralized leadership during periods of great conflict, especially civil wars, to actually solve those conflicts. However, its what leaders do after the conflict is resolved that really defines them. The methods Lincoln employed, while questionable, did bring the desired result of ending the war.
If he had his powers repealed and returned power back to the states, there would be no question that he was one of the greatest presidents to ever live. While there is another reality where he refuses to hand the powers back and becomes an all powerful dictator who is remembered as one of its worst.
Its in that ambiguity that creates so much division between those who view him as a saint and those who view him as a devil.
As for the emancipation proclamation (because I can understand the confusion people have with it), its was quite clearly a brilliant diplomatic ploy to keep those border states that remained neutral at the time, specifically Kentucky where A MASSIVE number of the US's horse population came from (horses not only were useful as calvary, but for pulling wagons and artillery pieces and were arguably one of the main reasons the south could never realistically launch offensives deep into northern territory as they had far fewer horses than the north to carry the supplies needed), from being pushed to the southern side. If those border states didn't rebel, they could keep their slaves (for the time being at least). Even them remaining neutral was a positive since it stripped the south of valuable resources that the North had in spades.
Danny boy is being a contrarian though and deliberately not acknowledging the above facts and realities going on throughout the civil war. Its definitely not right to call Lincoln a saint, but calling him the devil is just as incorrect.
Was he a dictator during the civil war? Yeah, but as the early roman republic taught us that is not a bad thing. You need strong centralized leadership during periods of great conflict, especially civil wars, to actually solve those conflicts. However, its what leaders do after the conflict is resolved that really defines them. The methods Lincoln employed, while questionable, did bring the desired result of ending the war.
If he had his powers repealed and returned power back to the states, there would be no question that he was one of the greatest presidents to ever live. While there is another reality where he refuses to hand the powers back and becomes an all powerful dictator who is remembered as one of its worst.
Its in that ambiguity that creates so much division between those who view him as a saint and those who view him as a devil.
As for the emancipation proclamation (because I can understand the confusion people have with it), its was quite clearly a brilliant diplomatic ploy to keep those border states that remained neutral at the time, specifically Kentucky where A MASSIVE number of the US's horse population came from (horses not only were useful as calvary, but for pulling wagons and artillery pieces and were arguably one of the main reasons the south could never realistically launch offensives deep into northern territory as they had far fewer horses than the north to carry the supplies needed), from being pushed to the southern side. If those border states didn't rebel, they could keep their slaves (for the time being at least). Even them remaining neutral was a positive since it stripped the south of valuable resources that the North had in spades.
Danny boy is being a contrarian though and deliberately not acknowledging the above facts and realities going on throughout the civil war. Its definitely not right to call Lincoln a saint, but calling him the devil is just as incorrect.