[Eagle Eye]

I am not convinced that preserving the union at all costs as was done by Lincoln was the right thing to do.

Not only did the act of preservation by force fly against the founders feelings for freedom as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the methods used have resulted in race problems and regional resentment to this day.

[rockrr]

I am reminded of the words of Benjamin Franklin: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

If Lincoln had not prevailed in preserving the union, there would be no United States today. Of course there also would be no Confederate States Of America.

The individual states, so weakened by the catastrophic internal struggle would likely have been overrun by French or British forces and our republic dissolved.