Lincoln during the war: "If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them"
i don't think you understand that sentence you just quoted... i know it's a bit weird in phrasing, but it's probably a trap to cite the longer quote, but ignoring the context that he's a politician in the process of convincing people of shit and not every sentence he said was some plain fact and proof of something by itself, in a vacuum
Lincoln before elected: no, I'm not coming for your slaves
i wonder why that was a topic? it's almost as if: slavery was a very big point of contention, and the war and division was brewing for a while and lincoln didn't start the civil war by himself... and so he said some politician-type stuff to get elected and then in fact "come for" the slaves...