Hello again,

Well whenever someone wants to put Lincoln on a pedestal they bring up the Gettysburg Address for effect. It was a great speech, but it announced the end of States Rights, independent state soveriegnty ended on that day. Lincoln had ordered (not directly) General Schenck to patrol the polls in Delaware to administer loyalty oaths to Democrats and ended up in Kent County arresting Democratic leaders and chasing the rest across the bay. The General announced instructions that only the candidates of the Union League convention were recognized by the federal authorities. The soldiers involved took part in voting too.

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David Upton