The thing about preserving the so-called ""union as it was"" is destroyed by the changes the radical republicans foist upon the nation after the war. Two years after the war, after the Southern States participated in the ratification process of the 13th Amendment, the yankee government imposes the so-called Reconstruction acts upon the South, imposing military occupation, absolute military rule, illegally making territories that Congress had declared NOT IN THE UNION to have to ratify the 14th Amendment in order to get back in. In 1861-65, the US government declared the Southern States as States in the so-called ""union"" but in rebellion. But, in 1867, the Congress declares the Southern States out of the so-called ""union"", right where they wanted to be all along, seceded from the ""union"". So, was lincoln correct? Or was he speaking as a lawyer and establishing the vague precedence followed by his successor, bill clinton - "what the definition of is, is".

It certainly applies. Hitler used it, Lincoln used it, Bush has used it.

The statement is correct. Slavery only blurs the issue. All Americans went into that war with liberty and came out of it with liberty lost. Ever since then, steady government encroachment upon our liberties has remained unabated. I guarranty this, that you take an American from 1930 and place him here today, he would not recognise his own country. Even more so with one from !907. For that matter, I do not recognise it from 1972. For the Patriot Act, we can thank ape lincoln. For much of the worlds troubles since 1900, we can thank the meddlin' yankees, their government and their victory at Appomatox Courthouse. Thanks a lot. As far as defeating facism, communism, etc. goes, no one knows how history would have been had the CSA gained its independence. We cannot presume history would have been the same, regardless.