I always said that Lincoln was a consummate politician and a centralizer. These quotes, taken in context, are examples of incontrovertable proof. No wonder Americans elect failures like the presidents and congressmen we have today when Abe Lincoln is lionized by a majority of people. I just read an editorial by George Will yesterday where he defended Lincoln for waging war four and a half years because it was necessary to free the slaves. Like that was a fact to be taken for granted.