On the recordOctober 16, 1854
But if the negro is a man, is it not to that extent a total destruction of self-government to say that he, too, shall not govern himself?
Source
gutenberg.orgAbraham Lincoln: “But if the negro is a man, is it not to that extent a total destruction of self-government to say that he, too, shall…”
Editor's note · Context
Lincoln poses a rhetorical question, challenging the consistency of advocating self-government while denying it to Black individuals if they are indeed human.
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