In chapter two of the book Lincoln by
George McGovern we learn about his crippling depression in his efforts
to attempt to participate in congress and later climbing up into
presidency. At first Lincoln was just a member of congress trying to
eliminate slavery but keep in mind he was no abolitionist. He thought
slavery was disgusting and a disgrace and should not be held in the
capitol as it was one of America’s greatest sins. Before his attempts
at removing slavery he was trying to politically combat president Polk
about the illegal war. Asking whether the blood was shed on american or
mexican soil but in his advances to try and humiliate him he only made
himself look unpatriotic to the soldiers taking part in the war and very
much hurt his political standing as he was seen as weak and unwilling
to do anything but this how a majority of the nation viewed the Whigs
after Lincoln loses his seat in office but fails on multiple
occasions.This sank Lincoln into depression but only seeding his need to
end slavery and change the nation where it stood as a whole. After his
second attempt to obtain a seat in the Congress Lincoln and his
supporters campaigned vigorously. He became exceedingly popular with the
people and electoral college. Leonard Swett, Ward Hill Lauren, Judge
David Davis all participated in getting Lincoln his seat in presidency.
After telling the press who had gathered outside his house Lincoln said
that your work was finished but my work was just beginning.
The author wanted you to see how much
he had gone through and how long it took for Lincoln to comeback from
losing his position in congress to campaign to have enough support to be
able to ride his wave of popularity to presidency. Another contributing
factor was the south was so broken up on dividing from the Union or
wanting to stay and compromise. Those who seeked compromised was seen as
weak and labeled submissionist and others wanted to completely leave
and it wasn't through the idea of eliminating slavery but feeling as if
they would be crippling their economy. After several states boasting
about leaving pushed them to believe that they would be outnumbered in
the Government and leaving them politically crippled. Learning about
Lincoln in elementary you would believe he was anti-slavery but in fact
he firmly believed slavery was absolutely absurd in the capitol but
thought it was a constitutional right in the south knowing it was one of
the building blocks of their economy. Also never mentioning he was
actually a congressmen and who lost his seat and failed the regain his
seat back and on the wave a public and the support in his delegates he
gain a seat as the president of the United States.
One of the reasons Lincoln won his
election was the south was so terribly divided among themselves they
could not ban together to form a counter the Lincoln and his supporters.
Not only was the south divided so was the north. The north being
separated into the democrats voting for Stephen Douglas and Republicans
voting for Lincoln as called the whigs. In the south John Bell for the
constitutional union those who choose compromise but still wanted
slavery they were both in the north as well as the south. John
Breckinridge as running as a strong second behind Lincoln. With 4
possible candidates Lincoln still managed to come out on top.
It all began when congressmen Abraham
Lincoln trying to embarrass Polk after his war with mexico a fairly
unpopular opinion Lincoln had almost assuring he would lose his position
on the matter.. After losing his seat in the senate and his failed
multiple events to regain his political position. Also combating his
depression after his loses. His seeded hatred for slavery grew ever
deeper and drove LIncoln to move in on the presidency to eliminate
slavery once and for all. Although he wasn’t an abolitionist he wanted
to remove it from the capitol and later from the nation. He saw it as
stealing the fruits of labor of the workers so he saw it as
unconstitutional. I want to know who was his main cabinet when he came
into office? How long was his separation from the government? How did he
cope with his depression? These are the questions i am left curious
about and hope to learn in the future readings.