How Did Abraham Lincoln Abuse His Power

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Many people believe that Abraham Lincoln abused his power. Some may say there was

even a “dark side” to President Lincoln. He suspended the Habeas Corpus act during the civil

war, which means “you have the body” the body being the prisoner. It protected the prisoner from

being unjustly imprisoned. Any prisoner that felt his rights were being violated could stand before

a judge and fight for his rights. He removed this right in Baltimore then New York and finally the

entire union. President Lincoln stated that he removed the right to preserve the union. He actually

preserved more power for himself. This removed an immense part from not only the United

States legislative branch but also the judicial branch.

It was on September 1862, that the first proclamation to …show more content…

Lincoln tried to rationalize the

emancipation of slaves, which at that time was viewed as unconstitutional, by endorsing The

Declaration of Independance. The declaration declares that “all men are created equal.” but the

Constitution is very selective in who they consider to be equal. The Gettysburg Address was

used to let the American people know where Lincoln stood on the issue of slavery, which to this

day still remains one of the most known speeches in American history. It implied that all men are

created equal, but at that time it was quite the opposite. The United States Constitution was

Devoted to the fact that only white males were created equal. Lincoln strongly believed in the

Declaration of Independance. President Lincoln found a loophole which would allow him to

rationalize the freedom of slaves. Lincoln found this loophole in the Declaration of Independance.

In it there is a statement that says “all men are created equal”. The Constitution gave Lincoln no

right to do this but the Declaration of Independence did.

In Lincoln’s second inaugural address he does not mention the Constitution, he