Abraham Lincolns Abuse of Power :: American America History

Abraham capital of Nebraskas Ab drop of PowerLincolns use of administrator billet during the well-bred war is many times illegal and unjust although his takings of the Emancipation Proclamation may seem justified, Lincoln blatantly handle his power regarding civil rights. He did things like institute an unfair draft, freeze Constitutional rights, allocate array spending without Congress, and institute emancipation. Although some may justify these actions, they stomped on the Constitution. Lincoln found powers in the constitutional clause making him Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the coupled States, and of the militia of the several states. He said that because of this clause, he had the right to use any means necessary to defeat the enemy. With this justification, he issued many executive orders before Congress even convened. Lincoln summoned the militia, uniform a stymie of the Confederacy ports, expanded the regular army beyond its legal limit, and order go vernment funds before congressional allocation. of these powers were granted to him in the Constitution. Lincoln also ill-used his power with the draft. Prior to the draft, the Union depended on the states to convey assigned quotas with volunteers. But then Lincoln instituted a new draft. By its terms, all men between the ages of 20 and 45 were liable to military service. However, any man who was called for the draft could avoid it by hiring a patronage or paying $300 dollars to the government. Many groups rightfully denounced these acts, called the conscription acts, as a rich mans law. Indeed, many wealthy men were able to taint poorer men into taking their place in The most blatant abuse of Lincolns power was his suspension of habeas corpus. The suspension of this constitutional guarantee, by which a somebody could not be imprisoned indefinitely without being charges with some ad hoc crime, around much oppositeness throughout the country. Although Lincoln himself made no co ncentrated efforts to suppress political oppositions, the repeal of habeas corpus enabled overzealous civil and military authorities to imprison thousands of people who were vocal in their opposition to the war against the South. During the war, in the case Ex parte Merryman, Chief Justice Taney ordered Lincoln to grant a writ of habeas corpus to a Confederate agitator who had been arbitrarily jailed by military authorities in Maryland. Lincoln ignored the order. After the war, in the case Ex parte Milligan, the absolute Court ruled that president could not suspend habeas corpus without the approve of Congress.