One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern
part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it.
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The text presented in the question above is an excerpt from Lincoln's second inaugural address. In this excerpt, he reinforces the idea that blacks were part of American society, making up an eighth of the entire population, but this was ignored and the result was slavery, which not only oppressed and limited blacks, but was the main cause of war, civil war, in this case. In his reasoning, Lincoln claims that slavery was the cause of so many deaths and bloodshed in southern and northern states. Lincoln recognizes that blacks are a very important and powerful portion of the population, as well as being unique in how such an oppressed community is capable of triggering great events.
