Abraham Lincoln is quite clear in his statements about slavery that he believes it is morally wrong. In the documents, he says so several times, including in the letter to Albert Hodges in 1864 where he writes “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so think, and feel.” As his speeches during the Lincoln-Douglas debates show, his opposition comes from believing that the Declaration of Independence applies to all men, not just white men. Lincoln makes it clear that he does not think black men are equal to white men in all ways. In fact, he expresses quite racist views about blacks during several of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. However, despite his views on race, he clearly maintains that the Declaration of Independence applies to all men. Speaking about the Dred Scott Decision in 1857 he says: “I think the authors of that notable instrument intended to include all men… They defined with tolerable distinctness, in what respects they did consider all men created equal—equal in ‘certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’”
However, although Lincoln is quite clear about thinking slavery is morally wrong, his view about what should done with slavery is not quite so clear cut. Ideally, he would no doubt want slavery abolished entirely, but his statements about slavery show a reluctance to do so. In many ways, his views remind me of today’s politicians who are personally against abortion, but politically pro-choice. He personally thinks slavery it is wrong, but he doubts that it is his place to interfere with the rights of Southerners to hold slaves. In an 1860 letter he makes clear to Alexander Stephens that he would not interfere with slavery in the South and only thinks that its expansion ought to be restricted.
Once the Civil War began, Lincoln’s views on slavery seem to take a back-seat to his desire to reunite the Union. Although he undoubtedly still believes slavery is wrong, his overriding concern is how to bring the Union back together. In a letter to Horace Greeley, he writes “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 feeing some and leaving others alone I would also do it.” At this point, Lincoln is pretty much willing to do anything with slavery as long as it results in reunification of the North and the South.
Ultimately, Lincoln ended up freeing the slaves, but he did not do so simply because of his personal belief that slavery was wrong. His statements about slavery make it clear that his greatest concern was to reunite the country. Emancipating the slaves just happened to be part of achieving that goal for Lincoln.