Today marks the 207th birthday of one of America’s most beloved presidents of all time. He’s been known for attending plays, preserving the union and putting an end to slavery – among other great historical stories and legends. But what else is there to say about the president with the long beard and the top hat?
Here are four things you probably weren’t taught in high school history class about the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
1. Abraham Lincoln didn’t always follow the Constitution.
It is widely considered to be in poor taste to bite the hand that feeds you – or in this case – break the contract that gives you authority in the first place. The Constitution was specifically made to protect the rights of the people—in whom the constitution’s power lies—from a possible overbearing government.
While Abraham Lincoln overstretched his constitutional power on several occasions (which is common for a wartime president), there are two instances where this is most evident. The first instance can be found in an executive order Abraham Lincoln made May 18, 1864, entitled, “Arrest and Imprisonment of Irresponsible Newspaper Reporters and Editors.” As the title suggests, this order called for the arrest and imprisonment of reporters and editors from the New York World and the New York Journal of Commerce and that they were to be held in a military prison. Afterwards, he used the imprisoned journalists’ papers to print war propaganda. This, of course, is an obvious infringement on the First Amendment and more specifically the freedom of the press. This was also not the only time Abraham Lincoln challenged the First Amendment. For other examples, look into Clement L. Vallandigham.
The writ of habeas corpus is found in Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution and prevents a person from being held against their will without just cause. During Abraham Lincoln’s tenure as president, he suspended this right, leading to yet another instance of his deviation from the Constitution . While it is usually debated whether Abraham Lincoln (the president) or Congress had the authority to suspend that right, at the time, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney declared it unconstitutional.
2. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation didn’t actually free any slaves.
It is well known that Abraham Lincoln was outwardly against the expansion of slavery, and he publicly declared slavery to be morally wrong. However, most people don’t know that the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t free any slaves.
In the proclamation, the president states that “all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” This meant Lincoln was calling for the freedom of slaves in states that he doesn’t have any power over, all while excluding freedom to slaves that were in states sympathetic to the North.
This is all a little over a year after General David Hunter had declared martial law over the three states he occupied from confederate soldiers. In doing so, he also declared all slaves in those three states to be free. Lincoln’s response to this however was contrary to his later proclamation. A letter of proclamation sent from Abraham Lincoln to Union General David Hunter on May 19, 1862 declared the general’s proclamation as void, meaning no slaves were to be freed. Only after this does Lincoln choose to declare his own Emancipation Proclamation. Slaves were not officially free until the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 6, 1865, eight months after General Robert E. Lee surrendered and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
3. Abraham Lincoln was drastically under-qualified.
Well, what makes a person qualified to be president, anyway? All presidents have either been in the military, served in Congress or as a judge prior to being elected. However, their longevity and demonstration of leadership ultimately shows how qualified they are for the office of president.
Prior to becoming a president, Lincoln had little previous military experience – serving only three months in the Illinois militia for the brief Black Hawk War. For being a wartime president, a combination of prior knowledge and experience is one of the most important qualities for the leader of the nation. Lincoln also only served only one uneventful term in federal congress as a representative, known only for his “Spot Resolutions.” H also had an unsuccessful run for senator.
For this, Abraham Lincoln is widely considered to be one of the least-qualified U.S. Presidents to take office to date.
4. Abraham Lincoln was horrible at appointing leaders.
How might we know whether those a president appoints are incompetent? Well, it’s usually because the president realizes it first for himself. This phenomena is primarily characterized by a constant rotation of cabinet members, generals or vice presidents. The rotation of leadership shows instability, and it is difficult for an administration to get anything accomplished.
Lincoln switched from Vice President Hannibal Hamlin to Andrew Johnson for his second term – the latter of whom went on to became a bad president himself (so much so that he was later impeached). Lincoln also went through a total of four general-in-chiefs during the Civil War before reaching Ulysses S. Grant, who is still arguably the second best general to fight in the Civil War behind Robert E. Lee – despite the fact that Grant went on to hold office with a presidency ridden with bribery and corruption.