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WVMnteer: "As I pointed out, Lincoln did seem genuinely interested in a voluntary colonization scheme.
He and everyone associated with the idea had long given up on Africa as a destination.
But Central America was seen as a real possibility."

Congress had authorized money for colonization of freedmen in Africa as early as 1819 and over decades a total around 13,000 African-Americans emigrated there, eventually founding Liberia in 1847.
Today their descendants number about 200,000 or 5% of Liberia's population.

Here is a summary on Lincoln & abolition.

Lincoln on Abolition

Note that it lists several potential Lincoln colonization sites and in one case over 13,000 freedmen volunteered to go -- sites in Panama, Haiti and British West Indies.
However, none proved significant or successful and it's reported Lincoln "sloughed off" on colonization by mid 1864.

General Butler's story is also mentioned & put in context.

General Butler's story is also mentioned & put in context.

You mean assailed by spin doctors in an effort to normalize Lincoln's then common beliefs with modern day morality.

Modern Liberals wish to believe Lincoln "Grew". (meaning adopted even more liberal policies and ideas.)

Either Butler was lying or he was not. I would sooner believe that a Major General would speak the truth than I would that he made something up to make himself sound more significant.

I have some confidence in the Military notion of Honor, I have no confidence at all in what Modern day History scrubbers/spin doctors attempt to do with the evidence available.