General Discussion

Martin Eden

(15,655 posts)

90. It makes him LENIENT, under the circumstances.

Sun Dec 27, 2020, 05:42 PM

Dec 2020

303 were sentenced to death. Lincoln ordered a thorough review of all the transcripts and commuted the sentence for 265 (more than 87%), ultimately hanging 38 deemed most responsible for the massacre of civilians. The president certainly had other things on his mind during a Civil War that was not going well in late 1862. The easiest thing for him to do would have been to let the sentence stand for all 303, which is what others likely would have done in his position.

I do not in the least dispute the injustice of the trial piled on top of unrelenting injustices done against the Dakota and Native Americans throughout the "settling" of this continent. However, characterizing Abraham Lincoln as some kind of monster in this affair is way off base.

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158 years ago today, the largest mass execution in U.S. history took place, ordered by A. Lincoln [View all] WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 OP

You won't see that history lesson Pantagruel Dec 2020 #1

THIS malaise Dec 2020 #10

Until recent times you would probably need to have read an actual book pecosbob Dec 2020 #64

Have you read "An Indigenous People's History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz? niyad Dec 2020 #70

I would agree with your description. pecosbob Dec 2020 #71

Thank you for this recommendation. nt thucythucy Dec 2020 #83

You are most welcome. Please let me know what you think of it when finished. niyad Dec 2020 #84

👍 uponit7771 Dec 2020 #98

Kick dalton99a Dec 2020 #2

Thank you for showing us that even A. Lincoln could approve of evil tactics, like this one. CaliforniaPeggy Dec 2020 #3

Set aside the shame and work to dismantle the white supremacy America is built upon. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #14

Been working on it llashram Dec 2020 #33

That's the smartest take on this Bucky Dec 2020 #68

It is far worse than you can imagine, Peggy. Read "An Indigenous people's History of the United niyad Dec 2020 #41

Thanks for the book tip niyad. alwaysinasnit Dec 2020 #54

You are most welcome. Let me know what you think of it. niyad Dec 2020 #67

You can't undo the past. You can only help build the future, that is what we need to focus on. Blue_true Dec 2020 #74

It's just bad karma, and more bad karma FakeNoose Dec 2020 #4

Manifest destiny, sometimes I'm ashamed to be white. nt Hotler Dec 2020 #5

Got into a discussion with some good ol' white boys here while aback IsItJustMe Dec 2020 #11

Set aside the shame and work to dismantle white supremacy. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #13

K/R From the article: Chief Little Crow's wife & children, Ft. Snelling. appalachiablue Dec 2020 #6

It happens all over Australia executed 51 PNG people for helping the Japanese. BSdetect Dec 2020 #7

In respectful memory IsItJustMe Dec 2020 #8

That one, and "Homeland Security since 1492". niyad Dec 2020 #43

Horrific. 58Sunliner Dec 2020 #9

Thank you. kag Dec 2020 #56

K&R Solly Mack Dec 2020 #12

Horrific MustLoveBeagles Dec 2020 #15

Addendum Yeehah Dec 2020 #16

I'm sure the men and boys who were hanged were very moved by Lincoln's magnaminity. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #18

I doubt that very much Yeehah Dec 2020 #20

Yes: Lincoln could have commuted all the sentences. He didn't. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #24

He could have approved all 264 death sentences. He didn't. Yeehah Dec 2020 #28

I think the point is in the article. What other point do you need? IsItJustMe Dec 2020 #25

That Lincoln is no hero Polybius Dec 2020 #27

Though he "saved" some... TomVilmer Dec 2020 #44

Happy you speak for all Native Americans. former9thward Dec 2020 #88

Obama is my hero Polybius Dec 2020 #95

Since we are going back to the 1800s to bash people former9thward Dec 2020 #99

Evil really. Native Americans have become invisible in our society. jalan48 Dec 2020 #17

They are not invisible. They are actively oppressed in a white hegemony, however. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #19

Yes, we hear very little about them in the media. Oppressed and forgotten. jalan48 Dec 2020 #23

This is part of why Deb Haaland's appointment is important, and so moving. TheRickles Dec 2020 #49

I agree. It is a great thing IMHO. jalan48 Dec 2020 #53

OMG! Bayard Dec 2020 #21

On Trudeau, I just read this... Duppers Dec 2020 #62

Well, damn Bayard Dec 2020 #80

So much for the argument that "Redskin" is a term of honor. Ms. Toad Dec 2020 #22

Our Son has a Wellstone ruled Dec 2020 #26

So disgusting. Never learned this in school hustory classes. nt iluvtennis Dec 2020 #29

Lincoln is no hero, he's a mass murderer in my eyes Polybius Dec 2020 #30

Yes, he let 39 Indian Americans die. Blue_true Dec 2020 #75

What exactly did he prevent? Polybius Dec 2020 #93

Lincoln thought slavery was morally wrong but legal. marie999 Dec 2020 #101

Yay, Lincoln! bucolic_frolic Dec 2020 #31

wow llashram Dec 2020 #32

I couldn't help but notice that on the page announcing the $200 bounty, that the Republican... strongermessage Dec 2020 #34

The Stephen Miller's family you refer to arrived in the US in the early 1900s grantcart Dec 2020 #42

Words like asshole or hypocrite or POS might work. nt IronLionZion Dec 2020 #55

This was an American genocide swept under the rug dlk Dec 2020 #35

I suggest you research this. Joinfortmill Dec 2020 #36

What would you like to add? WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #38

So the GOP really IS the "Party of Lincoln" BamaRefugee Dec 2020 #37

No. they are even worse . JI7 Dec 2020 #65

Native Americans got in the way and were summarily eliminated. BarbD Dec 2020 #39

They, like Black slaves were dehumanized. Blue_true Dec 2020 #76

I am 61 years old today LittleGirl Dec 2020 #40

Raising a glass in honour of your birthday. May it be joyous. niyad Dec 2020 #47

Sickenening and depressing. world wide wally Dec 2020 #45

At least Natives now have a voice in a Democratic cabinet. Marcuse Dec 2020 #46

Yes! Thank you! Duppers Dec 2020 #50

She's got some work she needs to do on the Chickasaw/Choctaw Freedmen, though. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #52

True dat. Marcuse Dec 2020 #61

Thank you for this needed reminder of a truly horrific chapter in the "history" (all history is niyad Dec 2020 #48

If you study any country in history, there are many sad stories about Blue_true Dec 2020 #77

K&R Duppers Dec 2020 #51

Why could anyone be shocked about this? kellytore Dec 2020 #57

Black slavery in the USA was passed down from the British, French and Spaniards. Blue_true Dec 2020 #78

When Trumpers say they're the "party of Lincoln" this seems more appropriate. CaptainTruth Dec 2020 #58

outrageous and sad. yuiyoshida Dec 2020 #59

The hangings were a element of the times. Blue_true Dec 2020 #79

I think Trump supporters actually want to bring back a lot of the brutality against non whites JI7 Dec 2020 #81

You are absolutely correct in your assessment. BarbD Dec 2020 #89

K&R mountain grammy Dec 2020 #60

Thanks for posting Beringia Dec 2020 #63

Genocide. coti Dec 2020 #66

This is why that sandman shit was lucky I wasn't the one he puffed up on. denbot Dec 2020 #69

303 were convicted and sentence to death. Lincoln commuted the sentences of 265. My Pet Orangutan Dec 2020 #72

Lincoln was criticized for his leniency in this matter Martin Eden Dec 2020 #82

If his decision "NOT to execute so many who were sentenced to death was not the act of an unfeeling WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #87

It makes him LENIENT, under the circumstances. Martin Eden Dec 2020 #90

He originally was going to approve only two executions, where rape had been proven. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #91

Oh yeah, he only murdered 38 innocent people Polybius Dec 2020 #94

There is no bottom to the ocean of depravity in the dealings of "Europeans" and First Nations. BobTheSubgenius Dec 2020 #73

Lincoln pared the number down from 303 to those who (supposedly) participated in massacre and rape. gulliver Dec 2020 #85

Reducing cruelty still leaves cruelty. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2020 #86

I agree with you. nt Raine Dec 2020 #92

Native Americans had some extremely cruel practices as well against their enemies ansible Dec 2020 #96

Both sides? /nt tonedevil Dec 2020 #97

Both sides are nice. Sarcasm marie999 Dec 2020 #100