Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Advent of the Civil War
After reading pages 502-504 and 510-515, do you feel Lincoln responded appropriately to the circumstances in which he took office (secession, push towards war, etc.)? Of course explain your answer giving as many specific details as possible. Post two comments, the first being your answer to the question, and the second a response to your classmates. Enjoy!!!
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Abraham Lincoln was pretty darn awesome. There are delicate, desperate times when one has do what they have to do and get it done regardless of opposition in order to set things right. The Civil War was one of those times, and Lincoln recognized that. He knew that he couldn't be another Buchanan and sit around doing nothing, and he also knew that attempting to meet both sides halfway would only end up falling apart after a period of time. Decisive action needed to be taken; there was an unmistakable conflict bubbling and the only way to resolve it would be to let it come to a head and fight it out.
ReplyDeleteBecause Lincoln took the decisive action required in these times of need, he was seen as "despotic" and was not very well liked as a president. I have to admit, he did take some very drastic actions that could have been considered unconstitutional. He took instant action after Fort Sumter was taken, suspending habeas corpus and calling out state militias. Without any approval from Congress whatsoever he ordered a naval blockade of the south and approved the spending of funds for military purposes. He greatly expanded the power of presidency in a short period of time, and people found this to be frightening as well as dangerous.
But honestly, the country couldn't have been in better hands, unless George Washington came back from the dead. Lincoln knew what he was doing; he wasn't taking these actions in order to gain power, he was taking these actions in order to finally come to a decision on this giant slavery/antislavery issue that had been kept under wraps for so many years. He was handling the inevitable and toughing it out in order to reach unity at the end of conflict. If Jackson was still around, he would've approved. Lincoln understood that the nation needed to get worse before it got better, and he also understood that he as president needed to step up and make this healing process happen. Props to him. It wasn't about being well-liked or all-powerful. It was about doing what was right for the nation.
Lincoln took office in the midst of chaos, but handled it very respectably. Before the war, Lincoln made attempts to preserve the Union by personally writing letters to each of the governors who seceded asking for their support in ratifying the Corwin Amendment that protected slavery in the states that it already existed. By the time Lincoln took office, the Confederacy was an established fact, and no leaders of the insurrection proposed rejoining the Union on any terms. The failure of the Peace Conference of 1861 rendered legislative compromise virtually impossible. Although he tried to preserve the UNion, Lincoln came into office too late to resolve the conflict that had been festering within the nation for decades.
ReplyDeleteAfter Union troops at Fort Sumter were fired upon and forced to surrender on April 12, 1861 Lincoln took action. On April 15, Lincoln called on the states to send detachments totaling 75,000 troops, to recapture forts, protect the capital, and "preserve the Union". As fighting continued, Lincoln did his best to help his country. Even in times of crisis, Lincoln acted appropriately and did everything he could to preserve the Union and protect his country even though it was its own worst enemy.
Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln was not an abolitionist. His main concern was preserving the Union. He knew that the country could not continue to exist half slave/half free and was trying to push to nation to pick one or other. Which one it chose was inconsequential to him. This showed through the actions he took during his presidency, many of which were very drastic. When Union troops were attacked at Fort Sumter, Lincoln called upon state militias with little hesitation. In addition, before even receiving Congress's approval, Lincoln carried out a naval blockade of the South. Many were concerned with these exercises of presidential power, but I think it was what needed to be done. If we had a president in this time of crisis who was not as concerned with the preservation of the Union as Lincoln was, they would not have taken the steps necessary to do so.
ReplyDeleteCarly makes a good point about several of Lincoln's drastic actions being considered unconstitutional. For example, his suspension of habeas corpus falls under this category. Many Americans, who were used to enjoying to protection of rights the constitution provided, were angered by this, but Lincoln did it regardless. This shows that he was willing to do whatever necessary to preserve the Union. He realized that being well-liked was not as important as keeping the country together and acted acordingly.
ReplyDeleteDue to the state of the nation, Lincoln walked into presidential office with no choice but to make a significant change. He had to take action and handle the divided nation. Seven of the southern states had already seceded before he even officially became president, and several more-like Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee, were looking to follow after. The confederate was building, and Lincoln knew he had to take the reigns and make sure the nation was whole again. Lincoln handled everything in a secretive and quiet manner, making sure neither the side (confederate or union) would be confused toward his stance, and wouldn't lead to more altered popular perception. Lincoln also kept everything careful and quiet because he knew what he had to do in order to piece the nation back together.
ReplyDeleteEven though he was so careful and quiet, the public still grew to dislike like him and grew worry that he was mirroring the despotic powers in Europe and growing too powerful. He was taking risks like ridding habeas corpus, working with military funds, and readily sending in troops-most without consent from Congress. This frightened the people, as their president was disregarding what had protected their rights under the Constitution. Lincoln wasn't phased by the perception the public held over him, like being a despot or an abolitionist, and simply focused on preserving the union. He was simply following his gut, and doing what he thought he had to do in order to obtain success. He knew actions, no matter how extreme, had to be taken, and they had to be taken fast. The public was simply blinded by what they perceived Lincoln as, that they didn't even look deep into Lincoln's clear moderate stance on slavery, and unbiased and true care for the nation.
Chanel made a good point when she mentioned how Lincoln did not initially react with violence. IN his inaugural speech, he stated that the South could do as they pleased, but he was determined to keep the nation whole. He also stated that he would not take physical action against the South until they initiated anything first, which demonstrated that Lincoln truly wasn't looking to go to war. Lincoln kept his promise of "preserving the Union" and worked to keep his promise, and actually go through with the concepts directed toward the South in his inaugural address.
ReplyDeleteI think that Abraham Lincoln acted in a very successful manner, but I don't think that violence was inevitable. Instead of quickly shunning secession, negotiations could have been used to come to a compromise and possibly avert the Civil War. Instead of keeping his troops in Fort Sumter, he could have taken them out of the for using peaceful transport ships. Also, preserving the Union may not have even been necessary. This would have been in the abolitionists' favor, as there would have been no more slavery in the United States, only the Confederate States.
ReplyDeleteLeaving the Confederacy alone could have also left the South economically destroyed and impaired when it came to infrastructure. The southern economy was heavily invested with trade in the north. Its infrastructure was much worse than the north, and was supported by the federal government financially. Either coming to a compromise or leaving the states alone were both nonviolent choices that Lincoln could have gone with in order to stop the Civil War and possibly preserve the Union.
Though many people, at that time, did not like Lincoln, he did what he needed to do. To us, it may seem that his actions were drastic but at that time necessary. He took action right after Fort Sumter was taken, suspended habeas corpus and called out state militias; all without the approval from Congress as well. His power increased dramatically, compared to the past couple of presidents, but it's better to have a leader during hard times than someone who just sat back and did nothing. During ancient Roman times, the senate appointed a dictator when times of war were really hard. This dictator had complete power for 6 months, in order to do whatever he needs to do to bring order and peace. Time is of the essence during war time, especially civil war, and Lincoln knew that he couldn't waste any time bickering with Congress about his actions; so he took control.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carly Novek that "the public was simply blinded by what they perceived Lincoln as". Lincoln was a smart man, he didnt let the popular opinion sway him. He was able to maintain his focus and eyes set on his goals. The public was short-sighted about the issues, but Lincoln knew. Just like he knew that civil war was pretty much inevitable. He predicted correctly what the outcome would be during his "house divided" speech. Lincoln knew it was coming, and he probably prepared for it. That's why he moved immediately after Fort Sumter was taken. It was all strategically planned out, and timed very well. Lincoln knew what he was doing to preserve the union.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to say now that Lincoln made the right choices, since we have our history textbooks and Wikipedia articles showing us everything worked out okay. If something went horribly wrong, a disastrous upset by the Confederacy in the war, or abusing the suspension of habeas corpus, everyone would probably consider Lincoln one of the worst presidents ever. Instead, only the KKK do, thanks to the results he produced.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, he acted quickly, and he acted decisively. Sometimes it's good to be prudent, play it safe and check at the poker table, but there are times when you have to go all in, and Lincoln did so without hesitation. He put his reputation and the possibility of re-election on the line so he could do what he thought was right. And he didn't hold back; when he decided after Fort Sumnter to go through with the war, he went all the way in. Got the army ready, prepared strategically, took away habeas corpus...
What's most appropriate about his response, in my opinion, is its swiftness. He didn't try to stall for more time, so that he could calculate how a war or non-war would effect his image; he went straight for a plan and made it work.
Dana made a good point. Most people perceived Lincoln to be an abolitionist who would force anti-slavery legislation upon the entire nation, but this was not the case. This only contributed to his image at the time as a not-so-great presidential candidate. Also, the fact that his name wasn't even on the ballot in a handful of Southern states STILL didn't cost him the win, which almost proves the south's point that they are practically helpless to the whims of the north. The Confederacy clearly felt that they were being wronged, and in some cases, they had good reason to feel that way, but still, it wasn't as though Lincoln had provoked them in any way. At Fort Sumter, they wouldn't allow his supply ships to enter even though they didn't carry anything harmful, just food and water, and they also jumped upon raiding the fort instead of respecting its boundaries and the fact that it was occupied by Union soldiers. Lincoln didn't incite conflict on purpose, it happened, and he had to cope with it as best he could.
ReplyDeleteLincoln's decision to take office and deal with the possible secession was bold, as most other men would have declined the offer of presidency at that time. However, I think that Lincoln cared about amending relations with the south, and was well prepared to handle the situation. He did not reveal his actions to the public which unfortunately caused people to conjure misconceptions about his legitimacy. He picked words carefully, as he tried to spread the message that shunning the south was wrong; they needed to fix relations (Lincoln spent a lot of time editing his inaugural speech, to avoid any confusion with the pubic).
ReplyDeleteLincoln was responsible; he put the preservation of the country before himself. He overruled the right of habeas corpus, as he knew that Roger B. Taney would use it to challenge his presidential rights. Even though he could not stop states from seceding, he did his best to persuade them not to. For example, Lincoln understood that if Kentucky were to join the Confederacy, other western states, like Missouri, would leave the Union as well. This would not bode well for the North as the South was have an unprecedented advantage in land. Lincoln also responded posthaste to the events at Fort Sumter. He immediately called up the state militias, expanded the navy, and ordered a naval blockade of the South. These actions show that Lincoln was not hesitant to act, and that he was capable of dealing with the Civil War.
Carly D and Dana point out important views regarding the way Lincoln was viewed. The public thought he was a strong abolitionist, who would make it his top priority to end slavery. Im also positive that they never would have guessed Lincoln would suspend habeas corpus. The public claimed that Lincoln was a terrible president and that he shouldn't lead the nation. The public also did not have to make decisions regarding the preservation of the Union. Metaphorically speaking, Lincoln was the dad and the public was the child; children are immature and try to take the quickest way out of problems. An adult, who understands the gravity of the situation, is mature and executes actions that he knows will make a difference in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chris Gardner that Lincoln made the right choice by attempting to preserve the Union and fix relations with the South. I think that Lincoln's use of a naval blockade to stop southern trade with European countries was very intelligent, and a peaceful method to hurt the southern economy. Persuading Kentucky to become neutral in the Civil War was also a key negotiation that was nonviolent. These were definitely appropriate responses by Lincoln to the Civil War.
ReplyDeleteLincoln could not have responded any better to the circumstances when he took office. When Lincoln took office he was faced with a divided nation. The Confederacy was already established, which was the aftermath of seven states succeeding. Although Lincoln was not for slavery he was not by any means an abolitionist. His main concern was to preserve the Union. He wanted the nation to exist as one, but he knew this meant that he had to make the nation all slave or free it could not exist as divided ideas. Lincoln’s actions were rash but very much needed. For example in the case of Fort Sumter Lincoln did not bother questioning anyone he just asked for support from local state militias. Also before receiving permission from Congress he set up a naval blockade for the South. Yet another risky move he made was habeas corpus. While Congress was not in session he put this into effect to imprison suspected enemies of the Union. All these things were essential to preserve the Union even though at times some of the actions were questionable obviously the end result was well worth it.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that Carly commented on the public opinion of Lincoln. This was very important in Lincoln’s presidency. During his presidency the public often criticized him. People thought he was an abolitionist but he was not. He just wanted to preserve the Union. When ever he took action there was always a group of people to oppose. But Lincoln was such an amazing president because he stuck to his guns and followed his heart and did what he thought was right regardless of what people thought. This type of thinking is what makes Lincoln one of the best presidents because he knew what the nation needed.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was given the title of President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln had no choice but to bend the rules and respond radically to the circumstances the country was in at the time. He couldn’t try to satisfy both sides but at the same time he couldn’t just stand idly by. Lincoln had to find a solution that would finally award victory to one side and one that would allow him to actually make a difference in the situation. Lincoln often acted without the consent of the Congress, which at the time was out of session, making decisions like a blockade of the South to cut off its commerce, the suspension of habeas corpus, the call to state militias, and the spending of funds for the purpose of war. He acted on his own which of course isn’t always the best idea but he knew that if Congress had to be consulted, they would have just been a huge blockade in the road to getting things settled and satisfied. They needed to work diligently and quickly at finding a solution to the problem and to let it flounder about while Congress pondered war would not have been a pretty sight. It was a matter of dealing with the problem before it got bigger and Lincoln definitely had the right mindset to do that.
ReplyDeleteDana mentioned a really good point that Lincoln was thought of as an abolitionist throughout history, both during his lifetime and after. The fact that he was an abolitionist definitely swayed some people’s ideas of what Lincoln was doing. Some felt it wasn’t so objective and therefore declared him a horrible president. The South often thought the President was acting on behalf of abolitionism rather than the country’s welfare as a whole. Lincoln never picked a side until the fighting really broke out and in the end it wasn’t just about slavery, it was about a few states that had had an epiphany of what their “great” country could be like if it was just composed of southern, slave states.
ReplyDeleteAs a northern supporter and Lincoln Lover, I do believe that no other person could have responded as well to the hardships place upon the Presidency during that time than Lincoln. Lincoln outperformed all his competitors at the time with perfect precision. People would not even realize the genius of his actions until years after his Presidency was over. For example, his lack of public statements following the succession of the southern states, although it was stupidly interpreted as weak by Frederick Douglass, really showed the level of tact the Lincoln exhibited because he was still trying to reconcile with the south and avoid a major conflict. He also knew when he had to not back down, as in the case of Fort Sumter and he especially knew how to lay the smackdown on the Southern Rebels. Once the rebels started the war, he put the north into full mobilization and blockaded the entire south, essentially forcing the south to lose if the war were to turn into a prolonged engagement. Although his generals were not that great and his men not as trained as the Southerners, he employed the advanced tactic of throwing your men into the enemy lines until the break because of your higher numbers. In fact, Lincoln was so successful with this that the Russians decided to adopt the same tactic in WWII.
ReplyDeleteDana brought up a good point about the no-win situation for Lincoln when it came to public opinion. He was too much of an abolition for most non-abolitionists, but he wasn't very much abolitionist at all for those of those that were; it's a wonder how he managed to get even forty percent of the vote, with the South completely united against him that way. And even though they were, Lincoln never allowed that enmity to interfere with his policies; the United States as a nation, not north or south, came first for him.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the condition our country was in at the time and the amount of conflict that occurred, there was not a better way to deal with this situation as Lincoln had did. After walking into office as southern states were succeeding, Lincoln knew that his ultimate goal was to preserve the nation and did whatever he could to achieve this. He analyzed the situation greatly and took everything very serious, even his choice of words. With all the problems the Confederacy created Lincoln never once called them their own country or traders knowing that just saying one of these two words would create even more tension and issues. Instead, he calls them rebels in a way that a kid is. Lincoln recognized that he needed to be very careful because his choice of words was extremely important.
ReplyDeleteNo action was too extreme for Lincoln and he literally did whatever it took to get things back to normal. Although many of Lincoln’s actions were considered unconstitutional, he took the risk because he knew it was what was best for the country. After the attack on Union troops at Fort Sumter, Lincoln immediately reached out to state militias and suspended habeas corpus so that any prisoners did not have a right to trial and went directly to jail. At this time, Congress was not in session and therefore Lincoln had to make a choice whether to wait for them or make decisions on his own. Although many did not agree with his actions, Lincoln did not wait and planned for a naval blockade along the south coast, hindering any commerce and trade that the Confederacy was involved in. Without the Congress, Lincoln also sent supply ships to troops who were in need. Without Congressional consent, the public opinion of Lincoln was vastly negative and many thought he was power hungry and Congress was needed to keep him in check. Lincoln’s bold moves show that he put the country before himself and did not care how the public perceived him, and that is all you can really ask for from a president. It is not till years later that many appreciate what Lincoln had done for our country.
Along with mostly everyone else, I support the claim that Lincoln was a good president, and handled the cards he was dealt extremely well. He was probably a very good analyst because he calculated decisions were always right on point. He made sure to stay out of the public's eye as much as he could, and when he did address the people he spoke with great caution. Distressed people have a habit of twisting things and misinterpreting certain words, which lead to more anger. Lincoln chose his words wisely and tried to make his speeches as neutral as possible. He worked incredibly hard to establish unity, and he was certainly a good man to have in office when the states reached their breaking point.
ReplyDeleteEmily makes a great point by commenting on the importance of Lincoln's timing when it came to making his decisions. Even though his ideas and plans of action were well thought out, if he waited too long or did not wait long enough the entire course of history could have been altered. If Lincoln waited for Congress to come back into succession who knows what could have happened and what the rebels could have became during this period of time. With all the conflict and pressure Lincoln faced, fear could have easily gotten in the way, having no idea what would happen to the country next. This was not a factor for him though, as he is considered one of the best presidents of all time.
ReplyDeleteThroughout his first year of presidency, Lincoln’s decisions were understandable, but as per usual, not everyone accepted/agreed upon them. He realized that war was inevitable due to the fact that many of the southern states had already seceded (South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama etc.) and he hoped to prevent the border states in following their actions. He clearly emphasized his concern for preserving the Union and tried to settle the dispute regarding slavery. However, slavery was noticeably a sensitive topic within the nation and Lincoln never expressed himself as an abolitionist. Therefore, he knew that war was bound to occur. For instance, when the Union proceeded in the attack at Fort Sumter, Lincoln immediately called for state militias. He even decided to blockade the coast with naval units to cut off the supplies for the south before Congress’s consent. With these actions, Lincoln “bent” the Constitution and as a result, many people had controversial feelings towards him. However, Lincoln needed to do what was necessary in this predicament and used his resources accordingly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many people’s comments on here about how Lincoln knew that although his decisions might not be popular to everyone, they were respectable. He needed to keep the country as a whole at his best interest and showed his caution through his first inaugural address for example. He chose his words carefully in order to not offend or create more tension in any way. In addition, he never regarded them as their own country. I think that this decision was notable because he didn’t want other states to join in this chain reaction of succession. Although the issues and underlying tensions eventually surfaced, as everyone had expected, he handled the situations the best way he could considering the fact that his came, right off the bat, into a difficult presidency.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lincoln's actions, because the country was in a state of turmoil. Lincoln needed to make fast decisions, and especially considering Congress being on a vacation, he really had to take the initiative. Had Lincoln not have acted as he did, it is very possible that the country would no longer be one country; the union would have divided. This being said, it is understood that Lincoln was extremely drastic. He initiated a naval blockade in the South and suspended habeas corpus. While these actions can be considered questionable, I do not feel at any time that Lincoln made any decisions for himself. He made all decisions based on what he felt was the best for the country at the time, which is what made him such an incredible and remembered president.
ReplyDeleteI also would like to say that I agree with Marco's point. I think Lincoln was the best possible man suited for the job at the time, and his ability to make a point while not being offensive was noteworthy. At no time did Lincoln ever make the Confederates out to be bad guys, which demonstrated his commitment to the Union, and not to just a fight. His actions were necessary, however he executed them in a way that was classy and appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Lincoln did respond appropriately to controversial issues of the time period. He was in a very sticky situation as president of the nation, and taking a firm stance on either side of any issue could prove to be disastrous, especially to those who initially considered Lincoln an abolitionist even though he wasn't, his main goal was to keep the country together and preserve the union. Lincoln had to respond drastically in order to prevent even more conflict. With secession and the start of the civil war, Lincoln had no choice to act quickly, drastically, and with very controversial decisions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Jenna said about how calculated Lincoln was with his word choice in his speeches too. He never called the Southern rebels traitors, and always considered them his countrymen too. His main goal of preserving the union was carried through into everything he said and did. Jenna also talked about his extreme actions in suspending habeas corpus right after the attack at Fort Sumter. Despite what other people in government believed, he did take into consideration everything, and he did what he felt was the right thing to do considering the circumstances. If Lincoln made "safer" choices during the war, things could have turned out very differently for the Union, who could have continued to be unprepared in war and losing to the Confederacy.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Dana's comment that Lincoln was not an abolitionist, because he was. Abolition was of great concern to him before the war and although it did get pushed back to the backseat when the war started, it was never gone. Lincoln was always debating for the best time to bring it back up although in public he always mentioned that his first goal was to unite the Union. However, once this was certain he dedicated his attention back on slavery and therefore he must be considered an abolitionist.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Lincoln did respond appropriately the the challenges facing him as he entered office. He did his best to bring the south back into the union peacefully as one state after another fell from the union. Lincoln wanted to avoid war at all costs. He stated that under no circumstances would the north attack first to start the war and he was right. Once the war started Lincolns main objective was to reunite the nation but as the war dragged on he added the abolition of slavery into the mix.
ReplyDeleteLincoln's response to the crises at hand when he took office were appropriate. It was necessary to make some drastic actions or else Firstly, he never acknowledged the South as a separate nation therefore never giving the South's secession legitimacy. Also, he, in his inaugural address, still attempted to be open to other solutions besides Civil War. He said he would not attack the South unless provoked. He also claimed on many occasions to not be an abolitionist, and acting with the motivation of preserving the Union. This at the time annoyed radical members of his party, and his allies, and the South did not like him much already, so this did not gain too much support for him, but by taking this neutral position, the South's claim that he would somehow infringe upon their rights lost value.
ReplyDeleteWhen Fort Sumter occurred, Lincoln was provoked and responded with force. While this would cause violence, which is something to be avoided, Lincoln did not show weakness or willingness to be lenient with the South's secession. Even though this alienated other states to the point of secession, it showed that he would not tolerate rebellion.
The most controversial move of Lincoln at this time was the suspension of Habeas Corpus. This decision may have stopped Maryland and other border states from seceding. As a Civil War was occuring, Lincoln needed the ability to act decisively. While this lost some public support, it allowed him to act quickly and nip the spirits of rebellion at the buds before it could spread throughout the border states. So yeah, Lincoln's strict actions were essential in preserving whatever Union he still had.
I feel like Lincoln definitely handled the situation he was thrown into very well. He refused to be the cause of the war to get the seceded states back into the Union, but would not hesitate if he was provoked. Also he did what he needed to preserve the Union, even if in doing so ruined his reputation, by making decisions without the approval of congress.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what many people like Liz has said. Lincoln chose his words carefully. When the war would be over he wanted a smooth as possible transaction into the way thing use to be. To do this he had to limit the utter hared coming from both sides and by calling them the ENEMY, Lincoln would be making the southerners seem like a forein people, the same people he would be trying to bring back into the nation.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what everyone else was saying about how he chose his words and actions carefully when dealing with the seceded states. Everything he did was calculated and he knew the consequences of his actions. He was extremely bold (suspending habeas corpus, naval blockade of the south etc). It was his bold decisions that made him such a famous president and led to the Unions ultimate success in the war.
ReplyDeleteScott raises the idea that Lincoln COULD have stepped back and taken time to think about the matter at hand and tried negotiations or something rather than violence. However, he goes further to say that Lincoln was effective because he acted decisively. However, he only acted decisively on issues that required decisive action. To show the significance of this, look at abolition. Lincoln never set his goal towards abolition, and was careful to be decisive only in events where he had to be. And he did a very good job at determining which events these were.
ReplyDeleteLincoln definitely responded appropriately to the circumstances of the Civil War, and his early actions illustrated his leadership skills. For instance, after Fort Sumter, he swiftly called up the state militias, expanded the navy, and suspended habeas corpus. He ordered a naval blockade of the South and approved the expenditure of funds for military purposes without congressional consent. He saved a lot of time by not waiting for Congress to argue over every little detail, but the way he enforced these laws made the public believe that he was expanding the power of the power of the executive branch too much. Nonetheless, without his early actions, the unity of the country would have been at a higher risk.
ReplyDeleteDana makes a great point that unlike what most of the public thought, Lincoln’s main concern was not to abolish slavery. He was not in support or against slavery in the beginning, because he was ready to either allow or abolish slavery depending on what the results of the country will be. He only focused on what which actions will benefit the country in enforcing the unity of the country, and he also did not care about what the public would think of him after he enacted his own laws without congressional consent. He was willing to give up popularity for the good of the nation.
ReplyDeleteLincoln did respond appropriately. Lincoln was put in a position where the Union was falling apart. He need to act fast and take any step possible to help the nation. Lincoln acted fast on events like Fort Sumter and he quickly decided to suspend habeas corpus. Lincoln would also be criticized for hurting the economy by putting in the banking bill. Overall, many thought Lincoln was trying to expand the executive party. But Lincoln was only making these actions because the country was in desperate times.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Laura with her saying that Lincoln saved a lot of time by not waiting for congress to decide whether it was okay to expand the executive party. If he didn't act fast, Lincoln would have just seen the nation get worse and worse. this situation is similar to school. the more people wait off doing homework, the worse their grade becomes. similarly the more Lincoln waits for congress, more factions will from, more anti Lincoln groups form, more economic issues form, and etc. it was very important that Lincoln acted this way.
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