Conspectus of the History of Political Parties and the Federal Government/Conspectus of Political History/Lincoln
Lincoln’s Administration.
Inauguration.—Notwithstanding the secession of some of the southern states and the apprehensions of a violent resistance to the inauguration, the ceremony was brilliant and impressive. In his inaugural address, the President declared that “no state, on its own mere motion, could lawfully leave the Union;” and that he should “take care that the laws were faithfully executed in all the states.” He also assured the south that he had no purpose to meddle with their domestic affairs.
Party adjustments.—The Constitutional Union party dissolved soon after the election of Lincoln. Some of its members entered the Democratic party, others the Republican; but a large portion of them became Confederates. The Breckinridge Democrats of the south entered the confederacy; those of the north joined the Douglas wing. Some from each division of the party became Republicans.
The war.—The first gun of the civil war was fired at Fort Sumter, on the morning of April 12th, 1861, from a battery in Charleston harbor. On the 15th of April, the President called for 75,000 volunteers, and the civil war began on both sides.
The free states were warmly for the war and the repression of secession by force. The slave states, except the “border states,” were as earnestly for secession. The border states were divided, the Union feeling predominating, except in Virginia, and preventing secession. But in them disunionists were strong, and sent representatives to the Confederate Congress, and a large force of volunteers to aid the south. The Republicans in all the states formed the distinctive “war party.” The Democrats generally gave support to the war, but some denounced it. There was frequent Democratic opposition to war measures in Congress and the state legislatures, and occasional violent demonstrations against it among disaffected people.
Opposition to the war.—Organized and individual efforts to encourage desertion from the army, and to protect deserters from arrest, were frequent in the west; and the “Knights of the Golden Circle,” reconstructed into the “Sons of Liberty,” formed conspiracies for the release and arming of confederate prisoners for raids in the loyal states.
The worst opposition was excited by the attempts to execute the draft law. In the city of New York, in 1863, a large mob, mainly of foreign-born citizens, attacked the draft office, burned a colored orphan asylum, murdered several citizens, and set the authorities at defiance for three days. The riot was suppressed by troops.
The Habeas Corpus writ was suspended during the war, to give efficiency to the action of the government in suppressing disloyal conduct.
Currency and finances.—A loan of $250,000,000 was authorized by Congress in the summer of 1861; of this, $50,000,000, subsequently increased to $60,000,000, was to be used as currency. On the 25th of February, 1862, an act authorized the issue of $150,000,000 of legal-tender notes, since known as “greenbacks.” Other issues were made afterwards. The first treasury notes were made receivable for duties, and thus soon taken out of circulation, leaving the “greenbacks” the only money in the country, until the national banks were authorized in 1864; and their bills, the “greenbacks” and the fractional currency remained for fifteen years the sole currency of the country. The opposition to the establishment of the new currency came from the Democrats, and was based mainly on the lack of constitutional power in Congress to make the “greenbacks” a legal-tender. The various loans authorized by Congress were represented by bonds, bearing five and six per cent. interest; and by 7.30 treasury notes convertible into six per cent. bonds. These constitute the national debt, and the basis of the national bank system. The notes of the banks are supplied by the government, and are secured by a deposit of national bonds. In the Democratic party, a strong feeling in favor of taxing national bonds was manifested, but the terms of the loan exempted them from taxation.
The tariff and internal revenue.—The depressed condition of business required a revision of the tariff early in 1861, and the duties were made specific instead of ad valorem. In the session of 1863–64 an act was passed, creating a system of “Internal Revenue” to supply the necessities of the treasury. It excited a great deal of ill will and opposition among the people, to whom a government tax was a new exaction.
Emancipation.—On the 22d of September, 1862, Mr. Lincoln issued his first emancipation proclamation, liberating the slaves of all secessionists who failed to return to their allegiance by the close of the year. On the 1st of January, 1863, Mr. Lincoln performed the great act of his life, the issuing of his proclamation of emancipation for all the slaves in the country. The measure was quite unanimously supported by the Republicans, but more or less censured by the Democrats.
Negro soldiers.—On July 17th, 1862, an act was passed by Congress authorizing the enlistment of colored troops. It was opposed by the Democrats.
Freedmen’s Bureau.—At the session of 1864–65, Congress passed an act creating the Freedmen’s Bureau for the protection of freedmen and fugitives, who came north nearly always destitute and helpless. It was strongly opposed by the Democrats and a few Republicans.
Reconstruction.—At the meeting of Congress in 1863, the President presented a plan for readmitting the seceded states to the Union, the substance of which was that the Confederates, on taking an oath which he prescribed, should be restored to all their rights except to slaves; and that when one-tenth of the number voting at the election of 1860 should have taken the oath, and established a state government, it should be recognized by the general government. There was a great deal of opposition to the project among Republicans, and a very different measure was passed by both Houses in July, 1864, but the President withheld his signature, and the bill failed to become a law.
Re-election in 1864.—At the Republican national convention, Baltimore, June 7th, Abraham Lincoln (Ill.) and Andrew Johnson (Tenn.) were nominated. [See D. and Pl.] On the 29th of August, the Democrats nominated George B. McClellan (N. J.) and George H. Pendleton (O.). [See D. and Pl.] The contest was carried on upon issues connected with the war and the relations of parties to it. Mr. Lincoln was elected by 212 electoral votes, to 21 for McClellan.
Assassination of Mr. Lincoln.—On the night of the 15th of April, 1865, Mr. Lincoln was shot in a private box at Ford’s Theatre, Washington City, by John Wilkes Booth, an actor. Mr. Lincoln died the next morning, and was succeeded by the Vice-President.