Dear Editor;

I have another view of Lincoln from some well known, documented facts . This is not an exhaustive list by any means. It just barely scratches the surface to debunk the phony “legacy” put forward by the academics who have their professional reputations( and income) wrapped up in published books and articles that deify Lincoln :all champions of big government.

First of all, Lincoln started a war without the Constitutional consent of Congress. He illegally declared martial law. He illegally blockaded Southern ports; illegally orchestrated the secession of West Virginia, shut down hundreds of opposition newspapers, and imprisoned their editors and owners. He deported the most outspoken member of the Democrat Party opposition, Vallandigham of Ohio. He confiscated private property, including firearms and violated the ninth and tenth amendments and tolerated the arrest of Christian ministers who refused to pray for him. He destroyed the system of federalism and “states rights” (our bulwark against tyranny) created by the founding fathers, thereby destroying the “voluntary” union of the sovereign states.

Lincoln’s “spectacular lie” was that state sovereignty never existed to “justify” his invasion and conquest of the Southern states Lincoln’s war was started over tax collections that ended up killing 620,000 Americans and wounding and maiming even more. He was a consummate politician who spoke out of both sides of his mouth. He said one thing to one audience and the opposite to another. His actions belied any of his lofty rhetoric. He refused to meet with Confederate peace commissioners before the war to work out a peaceful compromise. He provoked the upper South-Virginia, N.C., Arkansas and Tennessee to secede by launching a military invasion into Northern Virginia. His war was waged on women and children, old people, black and white, bombing cities, destroying crops, stealing and pillaging private property throughout the South. He promoted his generals for their willingness to use troops as cannon fodder.

Lincoln was adamantly opposed to racial equality. He opposed given blacks the right to vote, to serve on juries or to intermarry with whites. He supported the 13th amendment that would have prohibited the federal government from ever interfering with slavery. He advocated sending all blacks back to Africa, Central America and Haiti. He opposed black citizenship in Illinois and supported the State’s constitution which prohibited the emigration of black people into the state. He was head of the Illinois Colonization Society, which advocated the use of state tax dollars to deport the small number of free blacks who resided within the state. He nullified the early emancipation of slaves in Missouri and Georgia early in the war. He sent troops into the streets of N.Y City to put down a draft riot by shooting hundreds of them in the streets.

He was a political tool of the corrupt, northern business interests and bankers. He was a railroad industry lobbyist supporting corporate welfare. He was an enemy of free market capitalism. He was for high protectionist tariffs and central banking that would plunder one section of the country (the South) for the benefit of his northern political supporters. He orchestrated the rigging of the northern elections. He introduced the slavery of conscription and income taxation. He created an internal revenue bureaucracy that has ever increased in size and power. He censored telegraph communications.

These are just a few examples of Lincoln’s tyrannical behavior that have been well documented. The incredible myths propagated by the “Lincoln Cult” are getting somewhat old and quite frankly, inexcusable. It is impossible to understand the present state of our country without truth about Lincoln and the truth about his needless war against the Southern States of the Confederacy. A man guilty of the above is anything but noble or virtuous. Generations of American have been taught lies and fantasizes and sadly the inexcusable continues to this very day. The facts are available and there is no excuse for Americans to remain ignorant. It’s time the truth is told so I’m doing my small part to reeducate, for those who love truth. Yes, facts matter.

Ellen Gilmore

Old Gabbettville Road