Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a tactful speaker who tried to avoid conflict but his anti-slavery attitude led to its necessity
Lincoln often engaged his audience with his way with words
- Believed that since America was founded on equality, slavery would eventually have a reckoning
- Chose his words in order to reflect public sentiment
- Yet reminded his audience of the nation's founding principles
- Never publicly expressed his dislike for slavery as it would have ruined his political career
- Realized that he was free as a speaker of the majority
- However, no longer if he expressed the view of the minority
- Never opposed racial equality, but wanted to stop slavery from spreading