What was Abraham Lincoln's view of slavery before the civil war?

Lincoln didn't believe in slavery, but was enough of a realist to allow that the southern states should be able to keep their slaves - for mostly economic reasons. He didn't want to see slavery extended to other states or - and this is the subject of the famous "Lincoln-Douglas" debates - to the recently and soon to be settled western states. Of the civil war, Lincoln once said that if he could hold the union together without abolishing slavery, he would do so.

Lincoln did believe in slavery but knew it had to end in order to undivide the country and for the sake of the USA

Lincoln did not support slavery. He believe the world should come in peace. He thought that slavery was much like killing a person.

Lincoln was a slave owner and wanted to send them to central america because he did not believe whites a blacks should live together.