While there’s really no point in engaging you after that pointedly ignorant answer, I’m going to point out that Robert E. Lee inherited the slaves that he held and freed them years before the war began. I’ll also point out that the Federal government offered him command of their army, which he refused because he could not take up arms against his family, friends and neighbors. He was an honorable man.
Regarding Lincoln, there are more than a few cites and quotes that highlight the error of your statement. He believed black people to be inferior. He said he’d keep slavery if it meant keeping the Union together. The Emancipation Proclamation was a military document, intended to foment insurrection in the “rebel” states of the Confederacy, it did not free any slaves outside of it in Union states. Is this the behavior of an opponent of slavery? No, it is not.
Oh I do love it when the denizens of FreeRepublic decide to keep fighting the Civil War. The war where Democrats decided they wanted to keep owning human beings, and tried to break the country in half to retain that right. Ahhh.... the good ol’ days, right fellas?
The last slave Lee’s had control of, was freed in December of 1862. Hardly “years before the war began.”
And I'll, respectfully, point out that you are in error. That Douglas Southall Freeman detailed how Lee owned slaves much of his adult life, before his father-in-laws death. That Lee, in fact, freed the last of the slaves from his father-in-law's estate in December 1862 and not years before the war.
I’ll also point out that the Federal government offered him command of their army, which he refused because he could not take up arms against his family, friends and neighbors.
Which has what to do with his views towards the races?
He was an honorable man.
In many ways yes he was. But he was also a man of the times and not perfect in any way, shape, or form.
Regarding Lincoln, there are more than a few cites and quotes that highlight the error of your statement. He believed black people to be inferior.
And as I pointed out, if Lincoln is open for condemnation for those opinions then aren't the Southern leaders open for condemnation as well since their views towards blacks were even worse?
He said he’d keep slavery if it meant keeping the Union together.
He also said he'd free them all if that meant keeping the Union together.
The Emancipation Proclamation was a military document, intended to foment insurrection in the “rebel” states of the Confederacy...
That claim is just plain idiotic.
...it did not free any slaves outside of it in Union states.
Constitutionally he could not do that.
Is this the behavior of an opponent of slavery? No, it is not.
If you would take the time to read Lincoln's speeches and writings then you would realize that he was, in fact, a strong opponent of slavery his entire life. How many of your Southern leaders really opposed it themselves?