The Effects of Abraham Lincoln's Presidency on the U.S.
The Effects of Abraham Lincoln's Presidency on the U.S.
On February 11,1861, Lincoln left Springfield to take up his duties as president. Before Lincoln reached the national capital, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederate States of America. When Lincoln reached Washington on February 23, he found the national government incapable of meeting the crisis. Congress fruitlessly debated compromise. The national treasury was near bankruptcy; the civil service was a riddled with secessionists; and the miniscule armed forces were being weakened by defection of officers to the South.
Lincoln was faced with many problems. He entered at a critical period in U.S history, just before the Civil War. When Lincoln took the responsibility of being president, he brought to the office personal integrity, intelligence, and humanity plus his knowledge of his frontier upbringing. Few presidents have ever assumed office under greater handicaps. Lincoln was warned of an attempt on his life being planned out in Baltimore. Through all this Lincoln firmly and fairly guided the nation through its most perilous period and made a lasting impact in shaping the office of chief executive.
Lincoln was firm believer in the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln did not want to abandon the Declaration, he felt too strongly about it. On the other hand, racial "necessity" forbade him to embrace it unreservedly. (Sinkler, George p30). He said that the Constitution was in espousing freedom while at the same time protecting slavery. Lincoln once said quote "I believe this government cannot endure; permit half slave and half free. I do not except the Union to be dissolved- I do not expect the house to fall- but I do expect that it will cease to be divided. (Wellman, Paul I. P405)
Wartime politics were a major problem throughout out the war. Lincoln was the subject of frequent, and often vitriolic attacks from both the Democrats and from the Radicals. Lincoln lost support in the congressional elections of 1862, in which Democrats took control of the crucial states of New York. (De Young, Garry p17). Lincoln would face formidable opposition for reelection, not merely form a democratic candidate but from rivals within in his own party. Radical pressure was powerful enough, however, to persuade Lincoln to drop the most outspokenly conservative member...