LEESBURG - State Treasurer Richard Mourdock discussed the legacy of Abraham Lincoln during the annual Lincoln Day Dinner Wednesday night.
Approximately 70 Republican candidates running in the May primary and Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee members attended Lincoln Day at Tippecanoe Lake County Club.Mourdock was the keynote speaker and spoke about his passion for American history.
"I gave myself a goal 30 years ago to read at least 10 pages of American history each night," Mourdock said.
Although he hasn't met that goal, he tries to keep up on history as much as possible.
He said he is particularly fascinated with 19th-century history. He said, without hesitation, he thinks Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president to hold office.
He encouraged anyone who came across the pamphlet from the 1860 Republican National Convention to purchase it because it is something that is priceless and holds American history.
Mourdock said when the convention ballots were counted, Lincoln's name was on the ballot and people were surprised because he had no leadership experience.
In 1860, Lincoln received 39 percent votes, the lowest of anyone elected president, Mourdock said.
In the Civil War, 3 percent of the American population died and 620,000 Americans died over a course of four years.
"As a percentage we would have to lose 9 million Americans in Iraq to equal that percentage," Mourdock said.
He said Lincoln was told every day to stop the Civil War, but when he went into office he kept his word that he wasn't going to free the slaves because they were private property.
"He realized the war was about slaves, and as president he couldn't free the slaves, but as commander in chief he could," Mourdock said.
He said with Lincoln being commander in chief, he could free the slaves that would undercut the south's economy, and help end the war.
Mourdock said when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, it didn't just change America or define the Republican party as a party of freedom, but it changed the world.
"Up until Jan. 1, 1863, there had been thousands of battles and hundreds of wars, but had never been an Army put in the field to win another person's freedom," Mourdock said.
