“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”

A lie told often enough becomes the truth (Lenin) comes to mind. The attempt at re-definition is an oxymoron.

I agree with Mike. Either Lincoln didn't understand democracy or he was being purposely deceptive. Considering Lincoln's record, I think the latter is most likely.

From a man who only brought up the slave issue when Northerners were fed up with the war and he was up for reelection.

Though I am an Atheist I would fight along side any Christian to retain their rights, as I would a Republican. We have no right to enslave either through wealth or through politic. The essence of the quote is what matters not who said it.

A poor definition of democracy, and Lincoln's reputation on the subject of slavery is questionable -- only when faced with lawful succession was the issue of slavery addressed and the war against the sovereignty of the southern states was initiated. 'Majority rule' as master can still enslave the minority.

The distinction between free men and slaves is whether or not they are paid for their labor. The sole function of Lincoln's unconstitutional legal tender acts was/is to get labor without payment. With those acts, he made every war since his time possible. His contemporary, Horace Greeley said Lincoln's "iniquitous money system is no less cruel that the old system of chatel slaverty."

It is a poor conception of democracy. Neither wanting to be slave or master is simply the application of the Golden Rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and is basic human decency. Is it any less morally wrong when someone is forced to be a part time slave through taxing the hard worker to support the lazy?

Conspicuous in their absence are Lincoln's quotes that condoned slavery and those wherein he conceeded that he would have allowed slavery to keep the union intact. Lincoln even suggested that slaves be given a passage to a foreign country! This site loses credibility if it does not acknowledge the REAL Lincoln, as shown by ALL of his "negative" quotes on this subject.

Double talk, from a man who favored a centralized government. Speaking of democracy as though our constitutional Republican form of government did not exist.