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Historians and the public are curious about Lincoln’s participation on behalf of the enslaver and the contrast between that and his later role as the Great Emancipator. While we will never know his motivations for sure, the interpretations of his actions often reflect the prevailing attitudes toward our country’s heroes and raise questions about historical myth versus truth. In brief, there are four reasons ascribed to his actions:
1) He supported slavery and, therefore, was committed to seeing Matson secure his property. Or with a slight variation may have believed that every man deserves representation in court, no matter what his crime or position;
2) Lincoln may have participated in the trial because it was just another job, not venturing a moral opinion;
3) Lincoln or other participants may have been interested in manipulating the outcome of the trial. One branch on this tangent maintains that Lincoln argued the case poorly with the purposeful intent of losing as a way of supporting freedom for the slaves. The other, newer theory is that the trial was arranged to become a precedent for future slavery related trials; and
4) Lincoln’s own personal and political ambitions may have been his motivation. Perhaps he took the case as a personal favor to his close associate, Linder, or he may have considered it politically expedient to be involved.
No matter his motivation Lincoln’s acceptance and prosecution of this case complicates him as a person and politician more than prior historians have credited him. The tale risks falling into obscurity – buried or trivialized by well-meaning mythologies about the Great Emancipator.
The irregularities and the illustrious cast of characters have led current scholars to believe that the proceedings were arranged by the justices to be beyond reproach and was an attempt to set precedence for future slavery cases. We know of no time when the ruling was referred to in other trials, but then precedent was not used then as it is today. Lincoln would have been a preferred participant in this arrangement as he was one of the leading trial lawyers in Illinois at the time. He may have been approached by Wilson to be an attorney in the trial, and it would of Wilson he might have approached to be released from the Matson side of the event. It may not have mattered to Wilson which side Lincoln was on, just that the best attorneys available were involved, hence his ability to change sides. Lincoln could have agreed to be involved in the trial because it would be politically helpful to have his name linked to a trial with strong public appeal and because it would bring in income.
