Judicious Attribution

     I just finished reading a book entitled "Lincoln and the Irish" The Untold Story of How The Irish Helped Abraham Lincoln Save The Union. The political navigation and the gravity of foresight needed to achieve a desired end to an insidious game of rivaling ideologies to control the destiny of our country, had my mind delving into the depths of cynicism and to the heights of anticipative hope. I must confess that my primary focus has always been on slavery as it brought the nation to it's point of dissolution. There is no dispute in my mind as to that; but I had an insufficient knowledge of the prejudicial aspects that lay outside of the slavery debacle.

     I knew of, but not of the Know-Nothings. They were a group of  nativist Americans, anti Catholic and therefore anti Irish. Because of the potato famine, immigration of the Irish to America seeking refuge and opportunity, not to mention the freedom that came with it was huge. The Know Nothings originally aligned more closely to the Whigs and then the new Republican party. They were the terrorist faction committing many atrocities. The plausibility of there thinking was skewed to say the least; anti-slavery and yet maniacally prejudiced against the Irish. The roots of this are more easily understood if we go back to the Catholic response to the reformation in Europe. The multi-faceted aspects of Europe involvement, self absorbed players, including generals, politicians, people groups, and the toll of devastating losses, along with the courting of the Irish  whom he couldn't win the war without, left me enthralled with Lincolns' judicious use of opportunity. 

     England and France were favoring the South, not because of slavery, but for the severing and stripping the country of its power. The idea of saving the union was never front and center for me. My vision was narrowed because of my focus on slavery and I started wondering how this posture kept me from seeing the other implications and consequences. I would have fought for the freedom of the slaves regardless, but I desire perspective in it's entirety. 

     This lead me in my thinking to that of judicious attribution. There has to be a time for judicious constraint, a compelling to act. Inaction, at times, will be the loss of opportunity never to be regained. This naturally implies a time for judicious restraint, a regrettable action that can't be taken back. Damage ill-retrievable, a life altering event, negating second chances is a possibility worth thinking about. The necessity of using the Irish also opened the door to judicious abuse. Alleged abuse of the Irish troops as fodder for assaults by their placement in the front lines was a prevalent concern for Lincoln. The Irish resolve in these circumstances proved them to be a fearless force to be reckoned with on both sides. It also lead me to an introspection of my own responses to conflict. Certainly, an acknowledgement to differing assessments of opinion must be judiciously discerned. Once again, considerations considered not, can lead ones response to a debilitating and embarrassing consequence leading to a stumbling block towards resolution. At the vary least, a thorough evaluation of response is prudent. 

     Sometimes though, the fight has to be fought; but judicious resolve must at times be tempered by judicious restraint balanced by judicious attribution, for the road back to unity may be a long one and the cost irretrievable.