...equally concerned. Thus he posits the impossibility of a biracial society in America by saying that "[m]y own feelings will not admit of this; and if...those of the great mass of white people will not." After shifting the burden from his own preferences to his audience's, he adds: "Whether this feeling...

...to white citizens. Lincoln finds this option unattractive and, if not unattractive, impractical. His "own feelings will not admit of this; and if mine...those of the great mass of white people will not." In the end, though, Lincoln does know how he would act and, despite his characteristically charitable...

...point is not clear enough for me to denounce people upon. What next? Free them, and make them political and socially, our equals? My own feelings will not...mass of white people will not. Whether this feeling 71 Abraham Lincoln, Speech on Kansas-Nebraska Act (Oct. 16, 1854), in I LINCOLN, supra note S3, at...

...send them to Liberia, — to their own native land. But . . . [this] is impossible. . . . What then? Free them, and make them politically and socially,...those of the great mass of white people will not." In his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858, Lincoln proclaimed that "I have no purpose directly or...

...of slavery, than we." Finally, he acknowledged that he thought it was impossible to free the slaves and make them "politically and socially, our equals." "My own feelings will not admit of this," he declared; nor would those of the majority of whites. "Whether this feeling accords with justice...

...in Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, v. 3, p. 16. Rutgers University Press ( 1953, 1990). Shall we free them and make them politically and socially our...equals? My own feelings will not admit of this, and if they would the feelings of the great mass of white people would not. Whether this accords with strict...

...one in slavery at any rate, yet the point is not clear enough for me to denounce people upon. What next? Free them and make them politically and socially...would, we well know that those of the great mass of whites will not." " Later, speaking at Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln declared: "That the separation...

...proof that this would improve their condition. Lincoln could not consider them political and social equals. "My own feelings will not admit of this; and...those of the great mass of white people will not." This was the central issue, not whether this reeling accorded with "justice and sound judgment." In...

...Lincoln asks: "What next? Free them, and make the politically and socially our equals? My own feeling will not admit of this; and if mine would, we well...Whether this feeling accords with justice and sound government, is not the sole question, if indeed it is any part of it. A universal feeling, whether...

...within ten days. Free them but keep them as underlings? Would that improve their condition? he asked. "Free them, and make them politically and socially,...equals? My own feelings will not admit of this," and neither would the feelings of the great mass of white people. "We can not, then, make them equals....