OK, Mr. Seed, etc. ....just which line (or lines) seemed "racist" to you? The song's author, appears to me to be lamenting that there are criminals roaming unfettered...but at no time does he mention the criminal's racial identity...

I'm assuming that you got far enough in high school to have learned that Lincoln did a great deal more in his time in office than merely freeing the slaves, yet this is all you can presumably come up with in your "interpretation" of this song's "meaning".

May I respectfully suggest a trip to your local library? Perhaps you might start in the section dealing with American History...