Abraham Lincoln: Asylum of the Oppressed

In 1850's and 60's when Abraham Lincoln was running for political office, he dispelled any rumors that he was a Nativist/ Xenophobe who believed that the promises of the Founding Fathers (All Men Are Created Equal) only applied to white Anglo-Saxons (and not recent German, Irish, and Scandinavian immigrants).

He stated:

"I would like to know, if taking this old Declaration of Independence...and making exceptions to it, where will it stop?"


The immigrants are "blood of blood, and flesh of the flesh, of the men who wrote the Declaration...that is the electric cord that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world."

Lincoln saw the immigrants as farmers, laborers, and merchants (and voters) who would be needed to help expand the economic future of the United States into the west and pushed for laws that encouraged immigration (especially from countries that would benefit him politically...Lincoln frequently pandered to the millions of German immigrants who tended to be much more radical than him on their views of immediate and universal emancipation of the slaves.)


"Foreign immigration, which in the past has added so much to the wealth, development of resources and increase of power to this nation, the asylum of the oppressed of all nations, should be fostered and encouraged."


As we attempt to interpret Lincoln's view on immigration fro over 150 years ago, it becomes clear that Lincoln was not as concerned with a person's country of origin compared to their love of Liberty (and their willingness to vote for him at the ballot box).


Perhaps the politicians (all parties) of today should figure out how to balance their political pandering and rhetoric with humane actions for those who seek to live in the "Asylum of the Oppressed"!

This is called 'the land of the free and home of the brave'; it is called the 'asylum of the oppressed', and some have been foolish enough to call it the 'Cradle of Liberty'.  If it is  the 'Cradle of Libert', they have rocked the child to death"

                                                                                  -William Wells Brown