Lincoln fights an insurrection

[coberst]

Lincoln fights an insurrection

 

Lincoln's actions during the Civil War were somewhat controversial. Some of his most controversial decisions might actually be considered as being abuses of Presidential power. During his terms as president, he suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus, and upheld the Declaration of Independence above the Constitution.

 

Lincoln is accused of an abuse of power during the Civil War because he suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus. This law protects Americans from being unjustly imprisoned. Any prisoner, under this law, had the right to petition to be seen before a judge who could declare the arrest to be unlawful if not justified in a hearing by the court.

 

Lincoln used his power, during this suspension of that law, to imprison individuals throughout the War years. In doing this he removed from the legislature and the courts the power vested in them during normal times.

 

In his book “Lincoln at Gettysburg” Garry Wills explains Lincoln’s understanding of the War and of the two documents, the Declaration and the Constitution, which led him to the actions that he took in this matter.

 

Lincoln considered the actions of the Southern States were an insurrection rather than a war. The Southern States were not part of a foreign power but that Davis’s army was an outlaw band preying on the citizens of the United States. In Lincoln’ mind all of the military actions were taken to “insure domestic tranquility” as opposed to “provide for the common defense”.

 

“He could suspend habeas corpus in the North by the same authority he used in repressing armed insurrection in the South.” The Southerners were not foreign belligerents and he was acting as a policeman dealing with a criminal band.

[Freddy]

Lincoln did what was necessary to prevent the dissolution of the Union. It was unfortunate that many copperheads were imprisioned during the war. However, Lee invaded the North on two occasions putting the Union in jepoardy. Civil war is as bad as it gets concerning any country's survival . Northern copperheads were lucky they were not hung for treason if anyone but Lincoln was president. If you look at his plan for reconstruction he had no intention to punish the South. His guiding principle was to save the Union, which he did. A southerner brought that on the South when he assassinated Lincoln, allowing the radical Republicans in Congress to take control of reconstruction and punish the South with military occupation and martial law until 1877. Lincoln likely could have avoided that if he had lived.

[Ananke]

Lincoln considered the actions of the Southern States were an insurrection rather than a war. The Southern States were not part of a foreign power but that Davis’s army was an outlaw band preying on the citizens of the United States. In Lincoln’ mind all of the military actions were taken to “insure domestic tranquility” as opposed to “provide for the common defense”.

 

Except, the south did not want a war, they just wanted sovereignty from a corrupt union in which they had no power and no say as to how their land is governed. They were an occupied territory prior to the ACW, and, when they left, they vowed to never bring the fight to US soil, and only to defend their homes what ever the cost.

 

They infact fought a battle right outside Washington DC (first battle of Bull Run), in which the union army was defeated and retreated while congress was in session with the president there. The confederates need only march a few miles and capture the entire american government, but, they were more honourable than that, thinking that such a defeat for the union would force them to just end the war. Instead, the Union went Churchill on them.

[coberst]

What does "Instead, the Union went Churchill on them." mean?

[Ananke]

A reference to Churchill's refusal for peace or compromise of any sort. Guy was just an obese female reproductive organ.