I said out of context; I did not say that you didn't include the whole quote. By providing the whole quote, I intended also to provide the context. The context is that Lincoln's priority as president of the U.S. was to keep the nation together. Once that goal was accomplished, he could focus on freeing the slaves, and he just so happened to be able to do both. Check my source for the whole quote (it's not Wikipedia), and read the last part of that quote again: "I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."
As a conservative, you should be the last person to accuse one of our greatest presidents of not being what history proves that he was.
If what I just said doesn't persuade you that Lincoln was a good man, then don't bother responding. I thought my first comment was enough, but apparently the internet isn't a good place to persuade people of anything.
Lincoln was opposed to slavery, as stated in the first few sentences of this article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_and_slavery
You've committed one of the carnal sins of quotation, namely taking the quoted material out of context.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoting_out_of_context
Lincoln's quote in its entirety reads, "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that... I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-replies-to-horace-greeley
Liberals. Lying is in your nature. It worked for your presidential nominee, so why wouldn't it work for you!?