Abraham Lincoln: Good or Bad Wartime President? Essay Example
Austin De Castro
Mr. Markert
U.S. History H-7
5/20/11
Abraham Lincoln: Good or Bad Wartime President? Abraham Lincoln was thought up as one of the greatest presidents to have ever lived but contrary to belief he was actually a terrible wartime president. He had many people of his own cabinet, such as Salmon Chase, who connived against him while also having to deal with riots and protests against his war policies (Basler 75). Others say Lincoln was a tyrant for suspending writs of habeas corpus, repressing the press, and the fact that he arrested dissenters. Even abolitionists thought Lincoln was bad when it came to slavery and how he would not move quickly to finally free the slaves, while the people who were in favor of slavery accused him of waging war on slavery. Lincoln could be seen as a dictator since he has overused his presidential powers, such as declaring blockades in the South, ordering the writ of habeas corpus suspended in parts of Maryland, and so on (McPherson 55). As you can see, Abraham Lincoln was a bad wartime president for all of the terrible actions he has done such as overusing his powers and it is clear that he was not the president to be chosen at this time period because many people have scorned him for his actions. To start off, Lincoln was a terrible wartime president since he could be seen as a dictator for overusing his powers. The Constitution gives the Congress the right to declare war, but on the contrary Lincoln used the powers given to Congress to declare a blockade onto the South which is none of his business since that power was given to Congress only. Lincoln declared the blockade on the South in April 1861 and it was called the Union Blockade. The Union Blockade was part of the Anaconda Plan which was made by Winfield Scott and it was designed to close much territory of the Confederate coastline and major ports which would divide the South into three parts. The Union Blockade led to Confederate cotton exports being
Mr. Markert
U.S. History H-7
5/20/11
Abraham Lincoln: Good or Bad Wartime President? Abraham Lincoln was thought up as one of the greatest presidents to have ever lived but contrary to belief he was actually a terrible wartime president. He had many people of his own cabinet, such as Salmon Chase, who connived against him while also having to deal with riots and protests against his war policies (Basler 75). Others say Lincoln was a tyrant for suspending writs of habeas corpus, repressing the press, and the fact that he arrested dissenters. Even abolitionists thought Lincoln was bad when it came to slavery and how he would not move quickly to finally free the slaves, while the people who were in favor of slavery accused him of waging war on slavery. Lincoln could be seen as a dictator since he has overused his presidential powers, such as declaring blockades in the South, ordering the writ of habeas corpus suspended in parts of Maryland, and so on (McPherson 55). As you can see, Abraham Lincoln was a bad wartime president for all of the terrible actions he has done such as overusing his powers and it is clear that he was not the president to be chosen at this time period because many people have scorned him for his actions. To start off, Lincoln was a terrible wartime president since he could be seen as a dictator for overusing his powers. The Constitution gives the Congress the right to declare war, but on the contrary Lincoln used the powers given to Congress to declare a blockade onto the South which is none of his business since that power was given to Congress only. Lincoln declared the blockade on the South in April 1861 and it was called the Union Blockade. The Union Blockade was part of the Anaconda Plan which was made by Winfield Scott and it was designed to close much territory of the Confederate coastline and major ports which would divide the South into three parts. The Union Blockade led to Confederate cotton exports being