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Entry: The Limits of Lincoln Bashing Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/the_limits_of_lincoln_bashing#24308 Post contents: As a former student of the late Mel Bradford, I know well his antipathy towards Lincoln, a sentiment he shared with many Southern Agrarians. And yet, I think they may have gotten him wrong. Indeed, the greatest tragedy for the South was not the election of Lincoln, but his assassination; when Lincoln died, so did the hopes for an "easy" peace. A reconciliation between the North and South may not have been possible. Who knows? But it was certainly not possible under the radical Republicans. Lincoln at least wanted a true reconciliation. As for what side Lincoln would be on in the economic wars, one thing we can say for sure is that he was against corporate power, at a time when the corporation was assuming a greater role in economic and political organization. He left us with this warning: <i>Corporations have been enthroned… An era of corruption in high places will follow and the money power will endeavor to prolong its reign by working on the prejudices of the people…until wealth is aggregated in a few hands…and the Republic is destroyed.</i> As to Lincoln and Christianity, I think it clear that he was suspicious of the Christianity that he knew, which is not the same thing as being opposed to Christianity. To make an analogy, if the only thing I knew about Christianity came from Television preachers, I would regard it as a strange set of beliefs. Fortunately, I have other sources. No one can really be blamed for reacting to the public presentation of Christianity. Sent at: 2008 07 09