" 
 :: Was Lincoln a ""principled abolitionist""  well after Sept 1862 yes but not before.  He denied he was an abolitionist and mostly kept his distance; he was strongly attacked by the abolitionists as late as 1865. On his support for the 13th, the 2012 movie gets it right. When he came within striking distance (after the 1864 election) he struck hard and got results.   "