The Racist Presidents
final, page 3
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Abraham Lincoln 1861-1865

Abraham Lincoln, the nation 16th President and one of the most memorable of most leaders in the United States of present, owned no slaves but held views that at times sympathized with the Southern slave owning states. 

It was also noted that Lincoln held no different view than most of the Presidents and politicians before him on the matter of the white race being far superior than that of the Negro slave.

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Words from Abraham Lincoln

• 1841: “We got on board the Steam Boat Lebanon… By the way, a fine example was presented on board the boat for contemplating the effect of condition on human happiness. A gentleman had purchased twelve Negroes in different parts of Kentucky and was taking them to a farm in the South. They were chained six and six together.A small iron clevis was around the left wrist of each, and this fastened to the main chain by a shorter one at a convenient distance from the others; so that the Negroes were strung together precisely like so may fish upon a trot-line.  In this condition they were being separated forever from the scenes of their childhood, their friends, their fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters, and many of them, from their wives and children, and going into perpetual slavery where the lash of the master is proverbially more ruthless and unrelenting than any other where; and yet amid all these distressing circumstances, as we would think them, they were the most cheerful and apparently happy creatures on board.One, whose offense for which he had been sold was an over-fondness for his wife, played the fiddle almost continually; and the others danced, sung, cracked jokes, and played various games with cards from day to day.”(Lincoln, 1953, v1, p 260) (But see his letter to Joshua Speed,in 1855)

• 1854?: “The most dumb and stupid slave that ever toiled for a master, does constantly know that he is wronged…although volume upon volume is written to prove slavery a very good thing, we never hear of the man who wishes to take the good of it, by being a slave himself.”(Lincoln, 1953, v2, p 222)

• 1854?:“It is color, then; the lighter having the right to enslave the darker?Take care.By this rule, you are to be slave of the first man you meet, with a fairer skin than your own. You do not mean color exactly? You mean the whites are intellectuallythe superiors of the blacks, and, therefore have the right to enslave them.  Take care again.  By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with an intellect superior to your own.”(Lincoln, 1953, v2, p 222-3)

• 1854:  “Inasmuch as you (the Southern states) do not object to my taking my hog to Nebraska (Territory), therefore I must not object to your taking your slave. Now, I admit this is perfectly logical, if there is no difference between hogs and Negroes…In 1820 you joined the north, almost unanimously, in declaring the African slave trade piracy, and in annexing to it the punishment of death.   Why did you do this? If you did not feel that it was wrong, why did you join in providing that men should be hung for it?   The practice was no more than bringing wild Negroes from Africa, to sell to such as would buy them.  But you never thought of hanging men for catching and selling wild horses, wild buffaloes or wild bears.”(Lincoln, 1953, v2, p 264)

• 1854:  “You (the slave owner) despise (the slave-trader) utterly.You do not recognize him as a friend, or even as an honest man. Your children must not play with his; they may rollick freely with the little Negroes, but not with the ‘slave-dealers’ children. If you are obliged to deal with him, you try to get through the job without as much as touching him.”(Lincoln, 1953, v2, p 264)

• 1857: “But Judge (Stephen) Douglas is especially horrified at the thought of the mixing blood by the white and black races: agreed for once – a thousand times agreed…  In 1850 there were in the United States 405,751 mulattoes.Very few of them are the offspring of whites and free blacks; nearly all have spring from black slaves and white masters…  These statistics show that slavery is the greatest source of amalgamation; and next to it, not the elevation, but the degradation of the free blacks.”(Lincoln, 1953, v2, p 407-8)

• 1858: "A house divided against itself cannot stand.'  I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.  I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall - but  I do expect it will cease to be divided.  It will become all one thing, or all the other." (Appelman, p14)

• 1858:  "Before proceeding. let me say I think I have no prejudice against the Southern people.  They are just what we would be in their situation.  If slavery did not now exist among them, they would not introduce it.  If it did now exist among us, we should not instantly give it up...  If all earthly power were given me, I should not know what to do as to the existing institution.  My first impulse would be to free all the slaves, and send them to Liberia - to their own native land...  (But this is not practical.) What then?  Free them all, and keep them among us as underlings?   Is it quite certain that this betters their condition?  I think I would not hold one in slavery at any rate; yet the point is not clear enough to me to denounce people upon.   What next?  Free them, and make them politically and socially our equals?  My own feelings will not admit of this; and if mine would, we well know that those of the great mass of white people will not." (Appelman, p20)

Note: As Lincoln gets closer to his presidency you can see his words start to move closer to the view of the Southern states. Just playing politics or was he sharing how he really felt about the two races. It is clear that Lincoln felt strongly about his race being given the superior role and the Israelite (a.k.a Negro) given the role of inferior.

• 1858:  "I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will for ever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality.  And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.” (Lincoln, 1953, v3, p145-6)

• 1858:  "We profess to have no taste for running and catching niggers , at least I profess no taste for that job at all. Why then do I yield support to a fugitive slave law?  Because I do not understand that the Constitution, which guarantees that right, can be supported without it.” (Lincoln, 1953, v3, p317, see also p91 and p94)

• 1859:  "Negro equality!  Fudge!  How long, in the government of a God, great enough to make and maintain this Universe, shall there continue knaves to vend, and fools to gulp, so low a piece of demagogism as this." (Lincoln, 1953, v3, p399)

• 1862:  (To an audience of free Blacks.) “I think your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living among us, while ours suffer from your presence…I need not recount to you the effects upon white men, growing out of the institution of Slavery.  I believe in its general evil effects on the white race.”  (Lincoln, 1953, v5, p37-3)

*Here you see the most common words of most politicians when appealing to
the people and saying things that will agree with all and offend none.

• 1862:"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery.  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."  (Appelman, p29) (In other words I will do what it takes to keep the ball rolling.)

• 1862:  In September AL announced that in January 1863 he would issue an emancipation proclamation, freeing any slaves in states that were still in rebellion at that date.(Lincoln, 1953, v5, p433)

• 1862:  AL proposed three constitutional amendments: The first would have banned slavery in the year 1900, with compensation being made to the slave owners. The second would have kept free all slaves who were freed during the war; owners who had not been rebels would be compensated.  The third would have authorized Congress to appropriate money to set up colonies of willing Blacks outside of the United States.  (Lincoln, 1953, v5, p530)

• 1863:  "The most that can be said, if so much, is, that slaves are property. Is there - has there ever been - any question that by the law of war, property, both of enemies and friends, may be taken when needed?  ...some of the commanders of our armies in the field who have given us our most important successes, believe that the emancipation policy, and the use of colored troops, constitute the heaviest blow yet dealt to the rebellion; and that at least one of those important successes, could not have been achieved when it was, but for the aid of black soldiers...  You say you will not fight to free Negroes.  Some of them seem willing to fight for you; but, no matter.  Fight you, then, exclusively to save the Union.  I issued the proclamation on purpose to aid you in saving the Union...  Negroes, like other people, act upon motives.  Why should they do any thing for us, if we will do nothing for them?   If they stake their lives for us, they must be prompted by the strongest motive - even the promise of freedom.  And the promise being made, must be kept."(Lincoln, 1953, v6, p408-9.)

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Andrew Johnson 1865-1869

President Andrew owned slaves in his life time but not while he served in the office of the presidency. He bought his first slave, a manservant named Sam, in 1837 which he eventually owned.

Most of his slaves were owned at the beginning of the Civil War. It was said that most of them returned voluntarily after being confiscated by the Confederates, and these he treated as freemen. (Johnson, v6, p 549.)

In 1864, as military  governor of Tennessee, he proclaimed freedom for all slaves in the state. (Johnson, p.xxxvii)

 As a state legislator in 1841  Andrew proposed amending the Tennessee constitution so that slaves would no longer be counted in calculating representation. At the time they were being counted as three-fifths of a free person, the same as in the federal constitution, giving a large advantage to counties where many slaves were owned.  The legislature voted down his amendment.(Thomas, p48)

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Words from Andrew Johnson

• 1859: “Round and round the giddy circle of slavery agitation have we gone, until our heads are reeling and our stomachs almost heaving. It really seems to me that if some member of this body (the U.S. Senate) was to introduce the Ten Commandments for consideration… somebody would find a Negro in them somewhere; the slavery agitation would come up.” (Thomas, p 126)

• Before 1860: “If you liberate the negro, what will be the next step? …Blood, rape, and rapine will be our portion.  You can’t get rid of the negro except by holding him in slavery.” (Winston, p118-9)

• 1860:  After Lincoln was elected Andrew reacted to the threats of Southern states (including his own Tennessee) to secede: “Slavery will find no friends anywhere.”(Thomas, p 153)

• 1864:  "Slavery is the cancer upon the body politic, which must be rooted out before perfect health can be restored...  I have owned slaves - slaves that I bought with my own money - money earned by myself, a quarter of a dollar at a time.  They were confiscated and sold; yet two of them ran away from the Rebel dominions and came here to me.  I hired them - made a bargain with them for their labor, and thus recognized their freedom.  And I find they do better than when they were slaves.  Now if any of you are slave owners, I advise you to go and do likewise, while you have the chance.  Hire your Negroes to work for you, and you will find they will do better labor for you than when they were slaves."  (Johnson,  Vol 6.  p549-550.  Also, Moore.)

• 1864:”As for the negro I am for setting him free but at the same time I assert that this is a white man’s government…  If whites and blacks can’t get along together arrangements must be made to colonize the blacks (that is, send them to Africa).”  (Winston, p252)

• 1864: (As military governor) “Colored men of Nashville - You have all heard of the President’s Proclamation, by which he announced to the world that the slaves in a large portion of the secede States were thenceforth and forever free.  For certain reasons, which seemed wise to the President, the benefits of that Proclamation did not extend to you or to your native State.  Many of you consequently were left in bondage.The taskmaster’s scourge was not yet broken, and the fetters still galled your limbs.  Gradually this iniquity has been passing away; but the hour has come when the last vestiges of it must be removed.  Consequently, I , …Andrew Johnson, do hereby proclaim freedom, full, broad, and unconditional, to every man in Tennessee!”(Johnson, p.xxxvii)

• 1865:  to a group of Black soldiers: "This is your country as well as anybody else's country.  This country is founded upon the principle of equality... He that is meritorious and virtuous, intellectual and well informed, must stand highest, without regard to color... (the great question is whether) this race can be incorporated and mixed with the people of the United States - to make a harmonious and permanent ingredient in the population." (Cox, 141)

• 1865: (If I were making the decision for the state of Tennessee) " I should try to introduce negro suffrage gradually; first those who had served in the army; those who could read and write; and perhaps a property qualification for the others, say $200 or $250.  It would not do to let the negro have universal suffrage now; it would breed a war of races." (Cox, 144)

• 1866: (After speaking to a group of Blacks, including Frederick Douglass, who urged him to support suffrage for all Blacks.)  "Those damned sons of bitches thought they had me in a trap!  I know that damned Douglass; he's just like any nigger, and he would sooner cut a white man's throat than not." (Cox, 152-3)

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Ulysses S. Grant 1869-1877

The 18th president Ulysses S. Grant owned slaves through the dowry of his wife Julia Dent Grant.  She was given slaves from her father. (Simon,p 347)

When he was elected, the American people hoped for an end to turmoil. Grant provided neither vigor nor reform. Looking to Congress for direction, he seemed bewildered. One visitor to the White House noted "a puzzled pathos, as of a man with a problem before him of which he does not understand the terms."

As President, Grant presided over the Government much as he had run the Army. Indeed he brought part of his Army staff to the White House.

Although a man of scrupulous honesty, Grant as President accepted handsome presents from admirers. Worse, he allowed himself to be seen with two speculators, Jay Gould and James Fisk. When Grant realized their scheme to corner the market in gold, he authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to sell enough gold to wreck their plans, but the speculation had already wrought havoc with business.

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Words from Ulysses S. Grant

• 1846: "The people of Mexico are a very different race of people from ours. The better class are very proud and tyrannize over the lower and much more numerous class as much as a hard master does over his Negroes, and they submit to it quite humbly." (Simon, v1, p97)

• 1858:  Speaking of a slave his father-in-law gave to his wife: "He is a very smart, active boy, capable of making anything...  I can leave him here and get about three dollars per month for him now, and more as he gets older."(Simon, v1. p344)

• 1878: "As soon as slavery fired upon the flag it was felt, we all felt, even those who did not object to slaves, that slavery must be destroyed.  We felt that it was a stain to the Union that men should be bought and sold like cattle."  (Grant, 1969, p367)

• 1885: "The cause of the great war of the rebellion against the United States will have to be attributed to slavery...  Slavery was an institution that required unusual guaranties for its security wherever it existed; and in a country like ours, where the larger portion of it was free territory inhabited by an intelligent and well-to-do population, the people would naturally have but little sympathy with demands upon them for its protection.  Hence the people of the South were dependent upon keeping control of the general government to secure the perpetuation of their favorite institution." (Grant, 1885, v2, p386)

• 1885:  "(Before the Civil War) many educated and otherwise sensible persons appeared to believe that emancipation meant social equality.  (In 1860) the Republican party was successful in electing its candidate to the Presidency.  The civilized world has learned the consequence.  Four millions of human beings held as chattels ( Israelites) have been liberated; the ballot has been given to them; the free schools  of the country have been opened to their children.  The nation still lives, and the people are just as free to avoid social intimacy with the blacks as ever they were, or as they are with white people."  (Grant, 1885, v1, 170-1)

• 1885: "The fact is, the Southern slave-owners believed that, in some way, the ownership of slaves conferred a sort of patent of nobility -- a right to govern independent of the interest or wishes of those who did not hold such property.  They convinced themselves, first, of the divine origin of the institution, and, next, that that particular institution was not safe in the hands of any body of legislators but themselves." (Grant, 1885, v1, p 180)

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1847 Israelite blacksmith by the name Issac Jefferson