Abraham Lincoln: Democratic or Autocratic? Abraham Lincoln was of of the most democratic presidents in the history of the United States, as evident by his belief in government of the people, by the people, and for the people; this phrase is rather popular, few political figures have stood by its true values. Lincoln’s presidency took place during the Civil War, a battle between capitalism and feudalism, in which he was determined to regain the entirety of the Union. In times of crisis, he greatly overstepped the constitutional limits of his office, which is why many people label him as one of the most autocratic presidents in U.S. history. Although Lincoln successfully led his country though its greatest international crisis, he was a president …show more content…
The Emancipation Proclamation and the Ten Percent Plan, are only two examples of this. Although, it is important to note that he had originally entered the war in order to keep the Union together, only later did he decided to shed light on the issue of the slavery because he believed the war was missing a moral backbone. The Proclamation granted freedom to all slaves in Confederacy territories still in rebellion. However, this did not apply to the border states, in order to keep them from leaving the Union. After a victory at the Battle of Antietam, President Lincoln decided that it was the perfect opportunity to issue the Proclamation. By releasing it after a Union victory, the North would seem coordinated, rather than desperate. In December 1863, Lincoln offered a reinstatement of Southern states known as the Ten Percent Plan. It stated that any state could become part of the Union once again, but only if if ten percent of the white male population in the south took an oath, which included that under the name of God, they would faithfully defend the Constitution and Union of the U.S.. In Addition, Lincoln was sure to include that, under the plan, all southerners would have to support the emancipation of
It is found that although Lincoln opposed the spread of slavery into new territories, he denied any intention of interfering with the institution in those states where it already existed. After his election to the Presidency in 1860 precipitated Southern secession and civil war, Lincoln declared that he was leading a struggle only to preserve the Union and not to destroy slavery. It seems that his initial thought was not to end slavery and eliminate racial inequality. Two years later, Lincoln changed his position and eventually proclaimed the emancipation of those slaves held within rebel territory. He justified that action solely as a matter of military necessity. After the Civil war began, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to win
The first approach towards reconstruction was President Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan—an unsuccessful strategy for the matter that left congress uncertain of its lenient circumstances. The presidential plan was to allow the seceded states to return to the union without punishment, with only one exception. The single rule to Lincoln’s plan was that ten percent of a seceded state’s population had to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States in order to return without discipline. Abraham Lincoln was not on the same page as congress, who believed that his plan was too weak. Congress felt that the south needed to be punished for their actions.
Lincoln’s plan in 1863 involved issuing Ten- Percent Plan, to offer amnesty to any southerner if they would proclaim their loyalty to the Union and also supported the emancipation of the slaves. If ten percent of the state’s voters in the election of 1860 took this oath to the United States only then could they develop a new state government required to abolish slavery. After this then the state could reenter into the Union with complete privileges such as crucial apportionment to the Senate and House of Representatives (Schultz, n.d). However Republicans within Congress wanted to punish the South so they passed the Wade-Davis Bill which required fifty percent instead of ten percent taking an oath of loyalty. Also if southerners wanted to serve in the constitutional convention or earn the right to vote they would also have to take a second oath called the iron-clad oath which stated they had never
In December of 1863, Abraham Lincoln proposed the 10 Percent Plan as the first plan for Reconstruction. In the plan, a Confederate state would be readmitted to the Union, with a new government created, once ten percent of the state's voters had declared loyalty to the United States. These people were also required to uphold emancipation. Lincoln said that it would be "a cruel and an astounding breach of faith" for anyone to not abide by the laws of emancipation (qtd. in Goodwin 588). Anyone who took this oath received a full pardon unless they had been a Confederate official. Lincoln also thought that the entire abolition of slavery, not just in Confederate states, should be made by a Constitutional amendment. However, this plan was more of a way to try to diminish the power of the Confederacy during the Civil War than a plan to be enacted after the war was over. It was officially put into motion in some parts of Union-held territory in the South, but it was never truly supported by locals and Congress didn't recognize is it.
The plans presented were similar in that they required an oath sworn to the United States upholding the Constitution, admitting secession was wrong and recognizing the abolishment of slavery. These plans differed in the severity of their implementation as well as who is permitted to take the oath to rejoin the Union. President Lincoln’s Plan, or Ten Percent Plan, which he had started working on before the war ended, based on his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction issued in 1863, stated that ten percent of a former states registered
While Abraham Lincoln was serving as the president of the United States of Amerca, slavery was a large issue in the country. It was so impactful that it became known as a partial cause of the Civil War. Lincoln, having been elected as president as a Republican, he was part of a party that was against the extension of slavery.
When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, it was used as a tactical move against the south to stop them from rebelling or their slaves would be emancipated. It was an effort to end the war rather than having it continue, northern states set out to fight the slave states in 1861, not to end slavery, but retain the enormous national territory, market, and resources because it was an economic expansion for free land, free labor, free market, a high protective tariff for manufacturers, and a bank of the United States. The northern states wouldn’t accept the end of slavery, it would end slavery under conditions controlled by whites and only when required by political and economic needs. When Lincoln was elected, eleven southern
Lincoln was one of the most democratic and autocratic of the presidents. Autocrat meaning someone one who holds absolute power and democracy meaning rule of the people. The Emancipation Proclamation best supports that view because it shows he falls into both categories. He shows he’s autocratic because he was able to free enslaved men with his power. He’s is also able to show he is democratic because each law he passes, including the Emancipation Proclamation, must have a majority rule in the other houses.
As the Civil War continued in 1863 Lincoln Had announced his plan called the Ten-Percent Plan of Reconstruction. The main goal of the plan was to abolish slavery by getting ten percent of the voters to take the oath, so that when the ten percent was reached they could elect a new state government, which would abolish slavery. In the textbook it states "Lincoln's plan offered no role to blacks in shaping the post-slavery order." There was only select few states that took this oath and those states were Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas. All of these events has started to take place after the victories at the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg in 1863, Lincoln felt as If the south had never truly succeeded into the union. Lincoln agreed that
Although Lincoln was a Republican, his motives during his Presidency were similar to a Democrat President. Lincoln’s inaugural speech proposed peaceful actions during the Civil War. As mentioned in Lincoln and
When elected, President Lincoln vowed to prevent the extension of slavery. As a result, the Southerners chose secession, while Northerners believed that the collapse of Union would destroy the possibility of a democratic republican government. This resulted in the Civil War, which lead to the end of slavery in the United States. Throughout the war, there was much debate over whether or not the Civil War was about slavery or the Union. Lincoln first rejected the end of slavery as a goal of the war, but slave escapes in the South bothered Lincoln. The Union’s fate was at stake and Lincoln’s major goal of the war was to save the Union. Lincoln finally surrendered to the pressure of antislavery republicans, making the Civil War mainly about slavery, and seeing slave abolition as a way to end the rebellion and protect the Union. Abraham Lincoln created the proclamation of emancipation in July 1862, which called for an end to slavery. The proclamation was issued on September 22, basing its legal authority on his responsibility to suppress the rebellion and was signed by Lincoln on January 1, 1863. After the war, abolitionists were concerned that the Emancipation Proclamation would be forgotten about, so they pressured the congress to pass a law that would finally abominate slavery. In January 1865 the Congress approved the Thirteenth Amendment to ending slavery, and sent it to the states
Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasn't scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the
Abraham Lincoln was considered by many American’s as one of the greatest Presidents of the United States. Having come from humble beginnings it could be said that Abraham Lincoln rose up to meet all the challenges that would greet him, and it could be argued that at the time the only person who could successfully guide the United States through the Civil War was Abraham Lincoln. At the time of his presidency, the United States was falling apart, with the South trying to secede from the North, creating much chaos that Lincoln had to deal with. He worked slowly and throughly, which sometimes got people agitated but he was a very careful working man and knew that it was better if he took his time. Abraham Lincoln was not
On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, issued the first, or preliminary, Emancipation Proclamation. In this document he warned that unless the states of the Confederacy returned to the Union by January 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be “forever free.” During the Civil War, he was fighting to save the Union and trying not to free the slaves. Lincoln was quoted to say, “I am not, nor have ever been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races.” The Emancipation Proclamation illustrated this view.
Throughout the history of the United States of America, many great people have directed toward success. The American nation has been honored with many of the greatest people in history, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison. Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the most greatest president in US History. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12,1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky. He is known for his leadership and skills as president along with his pleasant personality. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the United States through the Civil War and accomplished many things such as Emancipation Proclamation,