From an LRC reader:
Dear Paul:
I am in possession of your letter and an application to join the Ford’s Theatre Society. I need a few questions answered before I can consider sending in my money. In your letter you describe Abraham Lincoln as “a man who understood the true meaning of democracy.” Exercising the rights inherent in our Declaration of Independence, the Southern States seceded from the Union and formed a democratic nation run by their elected officials. Without permission of Congress, Lincoln invaded this democracy causing the death of 670,000 people in order to force these Southern States back into the Union against their will. I’m not getting the democracy thing Paul. Can you connect the dots for me?
Later on in the letter you say that Lincoln’s words live on. Is this a reference to his 1858 speech in which he described the Black Race as inferior to whites or his 1860 inaugural address where he declared no intention to end slavery? Maybe you meant the Emancipation Proclamation which was worded so skillfully that it didn’t free a single slave.
You say that Lincoln cherished humanity. What about the 38000 Northern Democrats that he sent to prison without a trial for speaking out against his illegal war. And what about the Union prison camps that were worse than Andersonville, even though the North had plenty of food and medicine.
You say that Lincoln truly made a difference. He changed a federal republic into a nationalist empire and was the father of corporate welfare. He started the income tax and proved that a president with a huge federal army at his disposal can do anything he pleases. Subsequent presidents have followed his lead.
I hope you don’t find my questions tedious, but I have to be careful how I spend my money. The all powerful Federal Government that Lincoln created has just run us into another depression. Happy birthday Abe.
Joe Jordan
Atlanta
Jordanwolf@bellsouth.net