Lincoln Does Right

For one of my classes this semester I was required to write a "Letter to the Editor" regarding something in the local newspaper. I found an article that interested me, and figured I would share my thoughts on it on my blog.

The article of interest is found here:
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

And the link about which the article talks is found here:
Lincoln and his Circle

My comments (limited to 175 words, of course) were:

I enjoy history, so when I read about Lincoln’s letters that the University of Rochester is posting on its website, my interest was piqued. In the letters, it is reported that Lincoln gave a proposed solution to slavery, in which the government would buy slaves from their owners at the price of $400, and in exchange states would establish a 20-year deadline for abolishing slavery. This would have cost as much money as the war cost for 87 days.

Initially, I thought Lincoln's solution was a great idea. Slave owners would get what they wanted as far as financial compensation for losing an “asset,” and the federal government would save money and lives.

The more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea. Abolishing slavery was the right thing to do. By extending the travesty 20 years, just to save money and lives would not have been the right thing to do. Sometimes it costs to do right: money, possessions, time, and even lives, but it is always right to do right now.

Just a thought... (No, I didn't include that in the paper I turned in!)