WI:The Continued Life, Actions, and Health of Abe Lincoln if he Avoided Assassination

I've heard it's surprising that he lived as long as he did. But, it's still interesting to speculate what would have happened if he'd lived a few decades longer.
 
He was getting pretty radical by the end of his life, the last speech he gave before his OTL death called for extending the right to vote to all freed slaves.


You sure? My understanding is that he said the vote should be given to "the very intelligent" and to those who had served in the Union Army.

That would have created a significant Black electorate, but not enough to seriously challenge white rule in any Southern state.
 
But how do you remove Grant from the running?
Don't think Grant could be eliminated from the running. Make it a Seward/Grant ticket. I mean, the south is still under occupation, so
a balance between East/west is atm better than north/south
If not, Grant still gets a position in the cabinet, maybe Secretary of War?
 
I've heard it's surprising that he lived as long as he did. But, it's still interesting to speculate what would have happened if he'd lived a few decades longer.
I've read some reports withg support evidence postulating the Lincoln may have contracted syphilis some time during his life. If this was true I wonder how it might have changed his behavior as a lawyer or politician later on. Syphilis may also explain Mary Lincolns behavior was well so it is possible.
Don't think Grant could be eliminated from the running. Make it a Seward/Grant ticket. I mean, the south is still under occupation, so
a balance between East/west is atm better than north/south
If not, Grant still gets a position in the cabinet, maybe Secretary of War?
How might Grant's actions have been in that situation when compared to his OTL presidency?
 
Softer reconstruction but with enforcement of black rights. Lincoln would certainly live out 2nd term, and no way he runs for 3rd term. Lincoln was not "radical" on negro equality but would not tolerate the sort of "substitute slavery" that was developed in the post bellum south.

How does softer reconstruction lead to enforcement of black rights? We got the Amendments we did because Johnson was so weak that the Radical Republicans pushed for them.
 
Grant won't be on the ticket. Lincoln surviving is enough of a reason for Grant to never seek the presidency; his only political ambition was to be mayor of Galena.
 
I just finished a book called "Team of Rivals" which is about Lincoln and his cabnit members before and during the ACW. It the book its stated that Lincoln hoped that after the south was defeated tha Jefferson Davis and his cabnit could 'escape';) from the USA 'without his knowledge';). This makes me then wonder what the rest of Davis's life would have been like if the US government had facilitated an escape for him.
 
How does softer reconstruction lead to enforcement of black rights? We got the Amendments we did because Johnson was so weak that the Radical Republicans pushed for them.
However, Lincoln will not overturn the Freemens Beureau, and although it will be a softer hand in punishment, it will be a stronger hand in moving forward towards more equality.
 
Grant won't be on the ticket. Lincoln surviving is enough of a reason for Grant to never seek the presidency; his only political ambition was to be mayor of Galena.


Why should Lincoln's survival make any difference on that point?

Grant was elected in 1868, by which time (unless we're talking third terms, which is wildly unlikely) LIncoln would in any case be retiring. And he will still be a far more impressive candidate than anyone else the Republicans can put up.
 
There's no "softer" Reconstruction that *can* enforce black rights.

Here here. This is one problem that always comes up in alternate history forums - this persistent hangover from the Dunnings school that the problem with Reconstruction was the radicals and not the terrorist violence of the white militias.
 
Why should Lincoln's survival make any difference on that point?

Grant was elected in 1868, by which time (unless we're talking third terms, which is wildly unlikely) LIncoln would in any case be retiring. And he will still be a far more impressive candidate than anyone else the Republicans can put up.

Lincoln has alot more clout with the party being alive, and his support likely makes a difference for Seward. Furthermore, Grant sees less of a need to run for president because Lincoln has been more successful at reconstruction than was Johnson.
 
Here here. This is one problem that always comes up in alternate history forums - this persistent hangover from the Dunnings school that the problem with Reconstruction was the radicals and not the terrorist violence of the white militias.

Agreed, we had SOFT reconstruction OTL. There were almost no executions and almost no imprisonments. There was no mass seziure of property and no one forcibly removed after the war. What upset Southerners was that reconstruction gave Blacks some actual rights.
 
He was proven(?) a sufferer of a rare genetic disease involving a mutation fragging connective(?) tissues I think, Marfan 'disease'. I heard he had chances to die at random from a spontanously (and probably more chances under stress) breakdown of arteries like the aorta, like that.
I've heard of that. It was suspected - and he did have some symptoms - but never proven.
 
Lincoln serves out his second term, and works out deals with Ciongress. The Union is reassembled, and Seward will be nominated and elected Lincoln's successor. After a tour of the West, President Lincoln goes on too see much of the world. He returns to Illinois thereafter to practice law and write his memoirs, which is eventually released in two volumes.

Eventually he writes about his clandestine career as a vampire slayer, but that manuscript is suppressed for about a century after his death.
 
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