Neither...and both.  He was a man of his time.  Many believe he saved the Union, at the expense of the Republic and started what is known as the "imperial presidency".\n\nOh, and for the record, the Emancipation Proclamation didn't "free the slaves"...if you read the text, it only freed the slaves that were in the states in rebellion.  Slavery was still legal in Maryland and other jurisdictions in the Union where it wasn't prohibited. It took an ammendment passed in Grant's administration to fully abolish slavery in the US.  By today's standards, Lincoln and most of his generals and cabinet would be considered racists.  Again...he was a man of his time.