Lincoln The Great Emancipator Analysis

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Lincoln: The Great Emancipator at War
To think about: Do you believe that the president should be able to act in the best interests of the country, even in defiance of its laws? What factors contributed to Lincoln’s success during the Civil
War?

The president, who people voted for should be able to pass an executive order without the approval of congress if it’s for good cause. The nation sometimes benefits from unilateral presidential action. President Lincoln increased the size of the military, used funds for the purchase of weapons, introduced a blockade of Southern ports, and suspended the writ of habeas corpus, all without congressional approval. Lincoln had a reasonable validation for his actions and almost all great presidents overstepped …show more content…
When the Civil War began in 1861, groups of citizens rioted, and protested to leave the Union. In response, President Lincoln made the decision to respond to specific threats and act without legislative authorization that he considered necessary to win the war. Lincoln's famous decision to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in northern and border states, where rebellious activity was high, is an example of a time in history that the president took unconstitutional measures to protect the country. With the writ suspension, judicial review of prisoners became unavailable and allowed his authorities to make arrests without a warrant for any length of time without trial or probable cause. Lincolns actions led to clashes with other branches of government over the declaration of his authority. The founders placed the suspension of habeas corpus in Article I, stating that “The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion …show more content…
President Lincoln acted without prior congressional approval because Congress was not in session at the outbreak of war. Lincoln explained his actions and asked Congress to consent to what he had done during an unprecedented national emergency. Lincoln justified the legality of his actions at the start of the Civil War. Lincoln knew that he would get attacked that his actions were unconstitutional, so he wrote the proclamation as a legal argument, emphasizing that he was taking this step out of militarily necessity and could do so as commander in chief. He wanted it to undermine and weaken the capacity of the Confederacy to successfully conduct warfare and it did. Slaves were encouraged to run away from their owners, which drained manpower away from the work force that supported the Confederate
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