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Its just Lincoln thought preserving the Union was more important than abolishing slavery. Or in other words allowing the Union to break up was a greater evil than allowing the evil of Slavery to continue.

Lincoln's bedrock position in 1860 was that slavery not be allowed to expand into the national territories. He knew that if slavery were restricted to the area it currently occupied, it would die. The slavers knew it to.

But, without preservation of the Union, slavery would -not- die.

Lincoln had a very powerful intellect; he also had common sense.

Walt

He knew that if slavery were restricted to the area it currently occupied, it would die. The slavers knew it to.

And I suppose that's why they took the ONE action that would permanently separate them from any future access to those very same territories?

Lincoln's bedrock position in 1860 was that slavery not be allowed to expand into the national territories.

Article III of the Louisiana Purchase treaty said the following:

The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Union of the United States, and admitted as soon as possible, according to the principles of the federal Constitution, to the enjoyment of all the rights and advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States; and in the mean time they shall be maintained and protected in the enjoyment of their liberty, property, and the religion which they profess.

There were slaves, considered property at that time, throughout the whole length of the Mississippi Valley in 1803. They didn't have liberty. The treaty would seem to give their owners the right to settle with their slave property anywhere in the Louisiana territory.

How did Lincoln and the 1820 Missouri Compromise get around this treaty?