How did Lincoln approach the issue of slavery while in the Illinois state legislature?
In 1837, Illinois passed a series of negative “black laws” that, given the racist sentiment of the time in both North and South, most politicians favored. These laws greatly limited the rights of Blacks living in (or attempting to live in) Illinois and relegated them to the lowest of social status. They could not vote, nor could they run for political office or exercise their civic duty by serving on juries. They had to, however, pay their share in taxes if they were permitted to reside in the state. Lincoln voted against the majority of these resolutions, making it the first time he had publicly taken a stance on an issue that involved race. However, he did vote for the exclusivity of white suffrage, catering to the overall racist sentiment of the state and the North. Voting otherwise would have meant political suicide for Lincoln, and he pragmatically operated under that prospect (Oates, 1994). Though he operated differently in his public action, his personal revulsion for slavery wo
