LAD #16: Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was very direct as it says that on January 1st of 1863 slaves in America will be freed. The government will work to protect these slaves and make sure to strickly follow the proclamation with the most power as possible. He reminds the people that a majority of the Senate has passed this law to free slaves and it is now illegal to hold a rebellion against, saying that the slaves are free at one and if this is not followed through, enforced or carried out by these wealthy once slave owners, and those who have not must free their slaves at once and it is illegal in any area to be rebelling who still have slaves is still illegal. If these slave ownders do not free their slaves instantly, then he is not afraid to take military actions and force against them to make it happen allowing the rightful freedom of these persons to be maintained. Lincoln advises the slaves NOT to use any violent behavior and tells them to begin trying to work for a reasonable and favorable wage! Lincoln offers these blacks new from slavery jobs in the military who are physically able and says that it is an act of God warranted by the constitution and a military necessity to enforce.

LAD #15: Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

At the end of a four year term of office Lincoln said that their has been much progress of our arms, and should encourage all with hopes to the future and as the public. He also said there was so many declarations that have been constantly coming about to deal with new things changing in the government and consuming our time and energy. He also talked about an impending civil war, which he dreaded and sought to avert it. He hoped in remaining a Union without war and put agents to work to destroy the problems without war. While through negotiations they tried to divide the Union, both parties deprecated war, thinking one side would surely instigate and the other side would have to agree to fight against them. With one eighth of the whole population colored slaves, localized in the south, these slaves constituted a very powerful interest which was the cause of war. The government claimed no right to do more than restrict territorial enlargement and neither party wanted to expect a war with long duration, and neither side wanted it either. Both sides looked to easily win the fight but couldn’t. Both prayed and lived the same way but Lincoln wanted us not to judge other’s by the color of their skin. Lincoln also said that he thought American slavery was one of those offenses that would continue however through his time. He spoke saying that he wanted evil feelings toward none and charity for all from the rights God’s given us.

LAD #14: Dred Scott Decision

On the case of Dred Scott which came about on the 14ths of February in 1857, the case favored a moderate decision ruling in favor of Sanford. It did not however consider the huge ussues of Black citizenship and the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise brought about only a few years earlier. To work on the decision, Nelson was elected and the court elected to throw out his decision and decided instead to use Chief Justice Roger B. By his inauguration day in 1857, a man named Buchanana knew that the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision, and took his opportunity to give his support to the Supreme Court in his inaugural address. On Just March 6th of the same year, the first question Taney was asked, was his opinion on the Negroes, and free Negroes on whether or not they were or should be citizens of the United States and therefor asking if Scott as a Negro himself had the priviledge of being able to sue a southern state in a federal court. Congress likewise could not deprive citizenship in their territories of “life, liberty, or property” if they did not have due process of law or it would go against everything they stood for. According however to the Fifth ammendment was the Negro citizenship, that stated not only did slaves have this but also free blacks. A problem with the constitution however was that it made no distint difference between what property was and the difference between that of slavery. Taney reasoned that the Missouri Compromise deprived these slaveholding citizens who lived in the south and needed them to work on their plantations and farms, depriving them of their property that was slaves. Therefor the Missouri Compromise was unconstituional, and Taney ruled that the case should be dismissed due to its lack of jurisdiction. The case was sent back to the lower court with instructions for that court to dismiss the case for this very same reason, that it was unconstitional and could not be dealt with by the supreme court. This decision uphold and withstood the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision which stood in the favor of Sanford over Dred Scott. He was still property to a southern slaveholder, and this could not be changed.

LAD #13: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

During the Civil War between the North and South lands many lives were lost, and in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address he upholds the principles of human equality well throughout. He addresses the people by saying that those lives were not a any lost cause at all but helped to contribute to the current nation, and what it was at this time. He said the war was a test to see if our nation could endure, defining it as a new birth of freedom, in order to bring that equality to all American citizens. Since they fought to preserve the nation, their lives should be celebrated and not grieved over. The country needs to focus on it's unity and becoming one whole. He greatly honored the people who fought in the American Revolution for a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The nation was restored, it would no longer be a union of individual states, but gave reference to the Constitution by saying that all men were(are) created equal.

LAD #12: First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

In Abrahams Address he starts off by addressing the heavy tensions that lay between the Northern and Southern states about the most pressing issue of the time: Slavery. He declares his intentions to also respect the constitution as much as humanly possible, and that any official state of the Union had as good as signed a binding contract and were therefore permanently part of the United States of America and could not be changed. He makes it clear that it it not going to be him to interfere with the slavery issue since he has said he has "no lawful right to do so," and would not deny slavery to states nor enforce it in states. His most important goals as president was to insure that the people's property, peace and security do not become endangered. Continuously coming back to how importnat unity for the country was, and that fighting would solve nothing between those Northern and Southern states, and once the fighting was over the same issues, arguement and fighting would inevitably occur. He follows the Constitution on all acts of slavery and decides to stick with it again on the issue regarding fugitives since the memebers of congress swear their support to the whole constitution then they would have to abide by it! "We can not separate" he said with great pride, the constitution provided so much options of these ammendments but Lincoln himself does not exactly recommend them. Lincol then closes simply by reminding his people to take time and not hasten to decide that they are in the end friends and part of one single union.

LAD # 11: John Calhoun Speech

In 1850 on March 4th John Calhoun gave a very important and informative speech to the senate which talked about what caused sectionalism between both the Northern and Southerners in the United States especially slavery and expansionism. John Calhoun strongly believed that the Northerners who believed in slavery were inhumane and immoral. Calhoun felt there was much reason to abolish slavery as the Northerners saw slavery as a crucial part of their economy! While Calhoun showed his dissatisfaction with the actions being taken the completely erase the issue of slavery, he did believe that the southerners were being dominated by Northerners beliefs, and had been talking to others to erase this very important issue of slavery. Nothing angered Calhoun more than having to realize the North domination of Southern territory, as they were thought to be stupid and uneducated in the south, and a bunch of people who bought lands with loans that only hurt the nation inevitably. While northerners believed the Southerners to be one way, their was no way the South would let the North get away with domination and didn’t think the North had any say in South issues toward expansion or even their economy. Calhoun even threatens a civil war by showing how the North had no reasons for their actions, and for what the North had infringed upon due to other more passive dems. After his speech it was included that John Calhoun resign from the senate which was also most likely caused by all the pressure between the Northern and Southern territories.

LAD # 10: Polk's War Message

Polk’s war message found it an absolute necessity to address the Mexican government as they had been infringing upon the United States sovereignty. Polk had attempted for many years to create a last peace through diplomacy, but it all attempts they refused to hear representation by the United States. After many tries at a negotiation it was it could clearly be seen the pain the U.S. had been reeking on the Mexicans. The U.S did however seem willing to negotiate and try to do away with these problems if they were able to establish a Texas Mexican border. This problem wasn’t solely due to the Mexican’s in government but by the animosity of their revolutionary party toward the border issues, and their refusal to meet with the United States minister. A negotiator for the United States would have been welcomed gladly to the government if it had not been overthrown just a few days prior to this occurrence which had been created due to their non-diplomatic ways and their militia, making it nearly impossible to consider some type of negotiations with a powerful dictator. Offers were refused when the United States formally tried to keep present diplomacy in the new government, but because all types of possible negotiations had failed an army was placed in Texas to show patriotism to the state so willing to join our Union of states. During the annexation the army remained in Texas and was ordered to protect the citizens even on new frontier to the west which had been claimed for the people, but was exposed to Mexican attack; however these sectors did prove to be very valuable for supply and demand to Indian settlers and to distribute around the border of Texas. While the army was supposed to cause no hostility whatsoever they could receive and retaliate against them to protect the citizens rights, and the army camped on the River creating a battle which the Mexican’s inevitably won. Commerce between the Mexican’s and United States was at an ultimate low and due to a problem that could have been dealt with much easier on. To take back Texas, directions for the erection of a interstate militia was designed and sent out to several neighboring states and with the army to protect your country from invasion. Polk in his War message finally asks the Congress to officially recognize the war and help assist in its short ending. While it was suggested to Polk that the fastest way to finish war is to gather a very large army to quail the Mexicans into peace.

LAD # 9: Seneca Falls Declaration

The women involved in the women’s rights crusade of the mid-1800’s became disenfranchised when they were excluded in 1840 from an anti slavery conference in London. This conference they realized was also critical to their emancipation and civil rights as well. They then set out to have a women’s right’s convention which became known as the Seneca Falls Convention where the representatives met and gave a letter of their sentiments, explaining how they have been unfairly treated and gave examples. Then they set out to create specific resolutions- for example any law that set out to keep a woman from attaining her station in society are contrary to the force of nature and therefore of no force or basis. The coordinators of this convention and the authors of these documents were the driving force in women ultimately getting equal rights under the law.