Believe it or not, it is fashionable in some circles to blame Abraham Lincoln for everything conservatives dislike, from high taxes to a large, intrusive federal government. There is, however, much about Lincoln that conservatives can admire, including his animating love for the Founders and their commitment to human equality.

In particular, Lincoln's famous Cooper Union address in 1860 highlighted his conservative deference to the Founder's political tenets. A more dispassionate examination of Lincoln's principles and policies within their proper historical context can serve to correct such distortions. Moreover, Lincoln's recognition that (in Russell Kirk's words) "order is the first need of the commonwealth" merits renewed appreciation by today's conservatives.