Lincoln and the Constitution

I. The Secession Crisis and the Constitution

A. Congressional sessions

1. Crittenden Compromise

2. Congress adjourns

B. The Secession Crisis

1. South Carolina

2. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas quickly follow suit

C. Firing on Fort Sumter

1. Call-up of 90-day Volunteers

2. Entering Into Contracts

3. Post-facto authorization.

II. The Political Opposition

A. War Democrats


B. Peace Democrats--or "Copperheads," after the poisonous snake.

1. Argued secession was legal, because it wasn't prohibited in the Constitution.

2. Suspected that the Republican Party manuvered the South into taking the first shots to legitimize they new political agenda.

3. Suspected Lincoln of attempting to seize more power for the Executive Branch, create a stronger "unitary executive."

4. Many Peace Democrats were also white supermacist, and insisted that any attempt to free slaves would also degrade the white man.

5. Peace Democrats insisted upon a negotiated end to the hostilities, and assumed that somehow the country could return to the antebellum status quo

C. Clement Vallandigham

1. Scathing critic

III. Dissent and Habeous Corpus

A. Habeous corpus

B. Suspension of habeous corpus

C. Ex parte Meryman


1. John Merryman

2. Merryman's lawyer appeals to court

3. Taney travels to Baltimore


D. Ex parte Vallandigham

1. Arrest sparks Democratic protests

2. Corning Letter

3. Vallandigham nomination