The Man, the Myth, the Legend, Abraham Lincoln
The presidency of Abraham Lincoln is a complex and much disagreed upon topic that leads to much confusion. Some see him as the man who freed the slaves and others see him as political tyrant abusing and assuming executive powers. Most of these disagreements lie over his views on slavery, political career, and intentions behind and during the Civil War. Lincoln’s stance on slavery is widely questioned. His advocates think he was a great abolitionist and his critics think he was no such thing. Regarding his political intentions, his critics see him as a Hamiltonian and a protectionist causing the South to secede instead of purely over slavery. Most of all there is wide disagreement as to Lincoln’s intentions behind keeping the Union together. Most claim the war was out of necessity, while critics claim it was unnecessary and caused more harm. All of …show more content…
Lincoln also degrade them in other areas regarding war powers and limited government. In the words of historian James G. Randall: "No president has carried the power of presidential edict and executive order independently of Congress so far as [Lincoln] did.... It would not be easy to state what Lincoln conceived to be the limit of his powers." In the 80 days that elapsed between Abraham Lincoln's April 1861 call for troops--the beginning of the Civil War--and the official convening of Congress in special session on July 4, 1861, Lincoln performed a whole series of important acts by sheer assumption of presidential power. Lincoln, without congressional approval, called forth the militia to "suppress said combinations," which he ordered "to disperse and retire peacefully" to their homes. He increased the size of the Army and Navy, expended funds for the purchase of weapons, instituted a blockade--an act of war--and suspended the precious writ of habeas corpus, all without congressional
The presidency of Abraham Lincoln is a complex and much disagreed upon topic that leads to much confusion. Some see him as the man who freed the slaves and others see him as political tyrant abusing and assuming executive powers. Most of these disagreements lie over his views on slavery, political career, and intentions behind and during the Civil War. Lincoln’s stance on slavery is widely questioned. His advocates think he was a great abolitionist and his critics think he was no such thing. Regarding his political intentions, his critics see him as a Hamiltonian and a protectionist causing the South to secede instead of purely over slavery. Most of all there is wide disagreement as to Lincoln’s intentions behind keeping the Union together. Most claim the war was out of necessity, while critics claim it was unnecessary and caused more harm. All of …show more content…
Lincoln also degrade them in other areas regarding war powers and limited government. In the words of historian James G. Randall: "No president has carried the power of presidential edict and executive order independently of Congress so far as [Lincoln] did.... It would not be easy to state what Lincoln conceived to be the limit of his powers." In the 80 days that elapsed between Abraham Lincoln's April 1861 call for troops--the beginning of the Civil War--and the official convening of Congress in special session on July 4, 1861, Lincoln performed a whole series of important acts by sheer assumption of presidential power. Lincoln, without congressional approval, called forth the militia to "suppress said combinations," which he ordered "to disperse and retire peacefully" to their homes. He increased the size of the Army and Navy, expended funds for the purchase of weapons, instituted a blockade--an act of war--and suspended the precious writ of habeas corpus, all without congressional