Lincoln myth- Lincoln Saved the American Republic and the Constitution

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stonewalljackson
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Lincoln myth- Lincoln Saved the American Republic and the Constitution

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Lincoln myth- Lincoln Saved the American Republic and the Constitution


“Lincoln did more than any other individual to destroy the voluntary union of the founding fathers”
-Thomas J Delorenzo

Just to clarify to avoid confusion. The republican party as founded by Abraham Lincoln is much like the modern republican party of today. The modern democrat party is the more liberal big government party today. However at the time of the civil war the republican party was the big government centralizing party of the day. The republicans have not changed much in their philosophy from its foundation under Abraham Lincoln.

“This big government legacy haunts the GOP to this day”
-Al Benson Jr and Walter Kennedy Lincolns Marxists


Just because today republicans are considered the more conservative party, we should not conclude they have changed based on that. Compared to antebellum America, both modern parties are “big government.” The major change since Lincoln has taken place within the democrat party mainly since the 1960's but starting in the 1920's. The modern democrat party has become so liberal that it has no resemblance to either political party of the 1860's or early America.


Another Lincoln Myth

“In saving the union, I have destroyed the Republic.”
-Abraham Lincoln Letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862

Lincoln is credited with saving the constitution and the united states of America. Lincoln saved the “union” and may have saved the territory in north America under control of the federal government, but no one in history has done more to destroy the original American republic as created by the founding fathers. Today our view of America as a nation with an all powerful federal government, is not what the founders intended or created. This transformation to a centralized nation occurred under Lincoln and the following decades by republican dominated government [south could not vote] following his policies.

Transformation of Americas Original Constitutional Republic

“Lincoln transformed the American government from a constitutional republic to a consolidated empire”
-Thomas Dilorenzo The Real Lincoln

You will not be able to find any historian who will claim the government we are under today in America, is similar to that of Americans under the antebellum government. Since the civil war the government in America has changed drastically from its original constitutional republic of a collection of self governing, sovereign states.

“Many think our present federal government is the same one our founders fathers established. Nothing could be further from the truth....after the [civil war].... government power over the people underwent a radical change in the limits of government authority”
-James and Walter Kennedy The South Was Right

Today the federal government has the authority over all peoples and states. Everything is subject to its authority. This is not how it has always been or intended by the founders. The federal government only had power and authority that was delegated it by the states. That authority was only within the limits specifically stated in the Constitution.

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.”
-James Madison Federalist Papers #45

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."
-Thomas Jefferson
The states were to govern the rest.

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”
-10th amendment U.S Constitution

The powers that the federal government had, were not Superior to the states, but inferior. Since deriving its delegated powers from the states, who existed before the constitution.

The civil war marked the beginnings of an all powerful federal government in America, something the founding fathers did all in their powers to stop. With the Lincoln administration and with the passing of the 14th15th amendment soon after the war. [Where the south was denied the right to vote] We moved further to a more centralized government and denied states sovereignty. It destroyed the concept of delegated and reserved powers, gone was the concept of government authority voluntary from the people. It changed America from a constitution of states to promote common interest, to a national cohesion controlling states by a centralized government. In antebellum America each state acted for the most part as its own country. People saw themselves as citizens of the state first, country second. Under Lincoln it is said the reverse happened. Northern states objected as well to this transformation as new Jersey said of the amendments and changes in government philosophy

“Transfers to congress the whole control of the right of suffrage in the state.. a power which they [the states] have never been willing to surrender to the general government, and which was reserved to the states as a fundamental principle on which the constitution itself was constructed the principles of self government”

Lincolns northern opponent Stephen Douglas said of Lincolns political goals as wanting to impose “On the nation a uniformity of local laws and institutions and a moral homogeneity dictated by a central government” That election was said by historians to be a contest between “One consolidated empire [ Federalist/Whigs] and “confederacy of sovereign and equal states of Jefferson and Jackson”, “Lincoln goes for consolidation and uniformity in our government while I go for maintaining the confederation of the sovereign states.” said Douglas.

Later the federal government would take more power from the states with the passing of the 17th amendment, it was said than we went from a complex republic to a simple republic. Today the tenth amendment is completely ignored.

“The civil war called forth a new constitutional order...the principles of this legal regime are so radically different from our original constitution drafted in 1787, that they deserve to be reorganized as a second American constitution”
-Columbia University Law Professor George R Fletcher 

Death of Self Government and State Sovereignty

“State sovereignty died at Appomattox”
-Supreme Court Justice Salmon P Chase 1864-73

“Before the war a union a collection of states... after the war we began to speak of a nation”
-Ken Burns

It was the states in their sovereignty that did almost all the governing “State authority was the rule, federal the exception.” The federal government had no right to exercise powers not specifically delegated to it in the constitution. If the federal government assumed such powers, its acts could be declared unconstitutional by the states. States could decide the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress and they did so on a few occasions. This held the federal government in check and held it to only what it was granted to do in the constitution. So from the American revolution until The civil war, you had the same basic constitutional republic. The states doing the self governing in there state sovereignty. Before Lincoln was elected the only time the average citizen would be influenced by federal government other than military, was at the post office “Primarily Washington was a post office.”

“Today's federal government is considerably at odds with that envisioned by the framers of the constitution”
-John Olin George Mason University

Before Lincoln states determined their own outcome. They were not forced by an all powerful authoritative federal government to comply to its standards. States could succeed or nullify unconstitutional rulings and laws from the federal government. One of the first times the federal government, in this case the supreme court, tried to force itself on a state, in the court case Chisholm V Georgia 1793. The state of Georgia declared that to submit to a federal court would destroy the “Retained sovereignty of the state.” The federalist supreme court voted 4-1 that Georgia must comply with the federal court ruling. So the Georgia legislature passed a bill that any federal agent in the state that attempted to enforce the federal supreme court ruling, should be hanged. So no federal agent dared enter the state. This resulted in the passing of the 11th amendment as congress itself supporter state sovereignty against the supreme court . After the civil war meaningful states rights ended, and our constitutional republic along with it.

The war “Destroyed voluntary union of the founders and made all Americans servants rather than masters of their own government”
-Thomas Dilorenzo author of The Real Lincoln and Lincoln Unmasked

Lincoln and the civil war clearly began a new American empire that said states and the people, no longer decided their fate, were no longer sovereign, and no longer self governing people [a principle the American revolution was fought for] but were now subject to the almighty federal government. Who was willing to force the people into its mold, or destroy them. Walt Witman said the result of the war was “Consent to our mandates or be shot.” A major transformation from the founders view that “governments are instituted among men” to protects mans unalienable god given rights and liberty.

“States rights, which prior to 1860 had been an important northern belief as southern. Were overturned by Lincolns war
-Dean Sprague Freedom under Lincoln

Supreme Court Reigns Supreme

“The war between the states established.. this principle, that the federal government is, through its courts, the final judge of its own powers”
-President Woodrow Wilson

“The federal government made itself the sole arbitrator of constitutionality, through the supreme court. Not surprisingly the federal government has used this role to decide that there are in fact no limits to its power. Consequentially Americans are no longer sovereign over their government... they fought a war of secession against just such an empire. To than turn around and create a similar empire of their own would have been the height of absurdity”
-Thomas J Dilorenzo Lincoln Unmasked

In the antebellum period the supreme court did not have the final say in any matter but was to simply judge its opinion. To imagine the founders as fighting the largest military in the world [Great Britain] to create a new government to protect life, liberty etc to than entrust everyone liberty to a few politically appointed judges stretches the imagination. There was no three coequal branches. [ Won't be found anywhere in constitution] In antebellum America judges could not create policy, it had nor authority to enforce its rulings, they did not have lifetime appointments, were not independent, and did not have final say on constitutionality of a law. As the federalist papers say the legislative has the most authority and the Judiciary “Is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power....it may be truly said to have neither force nor will.” When President Jackson was informed the supreme court decision went against his policy he said “Thank you for your opinion, but my opinion is different and equally valid.” The sovereign states courts had the right to review and judge federal court rulings and law when they overstepped and could override unconstitutional rulings.


With No Check on Federal Government From the States = Rapid Growth and Power of Federal Government


“The US government has grown into a monstrous tyrannical body that would not even by reorganized by its founders”
-Lochlainn Seabrook The Constitution Of The Confederate States Of America Explained A Clause By Clause Study Of The Souths Magna Carta

With the death of state sovereignty and transformation of the government by Lincoln. The federal government know has sole power to interpret its own power and forcing the states and American people to comply as it has no other authority. If only the federal government can interpret and decide its own powers it will continue to grow. As we have seen from the civil war until modern times. Not only have the states been reduced and put under authority of the federal government, but the 9th and 10th amendments are ignored almost completely in today's politics.

Without that check on government, our checks and balances and separation of powers can only slow the federal expansion. With all power at the capital, elites and interest groups control politicians to their bidding. Than you end up with self serving politicians instead of servants of we the people. The true original conservative political party that was once the dominate party in America, often referred to as Jeffersonian democracy is all but gone in American politics.

“The war . . . has tended, more than any other event in the history of the country to militate against the Jeffersonian idea, that “the best government is that which governs least.”
-Illinois Governor Richard Yates, January 2, 1865

With no check from the states, President Lincoln violated the constitution in multiple ways, ran up 2.5 billion in national dept, distributed public lands, printed national currency, instituted a national bank, “Standardized fiscal transactions across state lines for the first time” collected numerous forms of taxes “Taxes on everything imaginable” [ From perfume, playing cards to bowling to going to the theater] , instituted a income tax, created the bureau of internal revenue [ Early IRS with 7,000 employees in 63] created the department of agricultural, instituted a federal draft, facilitated the industrial revolution in America at the exspence of agrarian lifestyle, laid massive rail, founded the transcontinental railroad, gave 58 million acres to rail companies etc.

[The civil war was] “The fiery crucible which the old nation was melted down, and out of which modern America was poured”
-Historian William Hess


Deification of the state

Starting with Lincoln and following generations of politicians led to what professor Delorenzo calls the “Deification of the state.” The civil war started in America the philosophy that the federal government is the ultimate authority. This has led to rapid growth in the federal government, because there is no higher authority, than the government thinks itself god. There is nothing it cannot touch. It can take away any right from anyone. It thinks it must not just solve all the ills in the country, it must control all modes of behavior and set its own standards. It will regulate the lives to conform to its own image that is beneficial to itself, resulting in more power to itself. People became servants of the state rather than the government servants of its citizens.

“Liberty became less important than the well being of government”
-Al Benson Jr and Walter Kennedy Lincolns Marxists

This is in drastic contrast to the founders who's view was Governments are instituted among men to protect those unalienable rights that come from a higher authority than man [government] that is god. The founders constantly acknowledged that biblical higher power that they were accountable to. Man was not the ultimate authority in fact all men were created equal. This philosophy that reorganizes a creator, produces a limited government. Government is not the ultimate authority but is to protect all citizens god given liberty. It also believes that man should alter and abolish a government that is destructive to those rights of the people. This was stomped out by the civil war, the government is ultimate authority, not the citizens, nor even god.

“The civil war was that the right to govern is paramount over the right to live, that man is made for government, rather than that government is made for man, and that for men to claim the right of self government is to deserve and incure the death penalty”
-Charles L.C minor The real Lincoln 1928


Military Empire of America and The GOP

 “I yet believe that the maintenance of the rights and authority reserved to the states and to the people, not only essential to the adjustment and balance of the general system, but the safeguard to the continuance of a free government. I consider it as the chief source of stability to our political system,  whereas the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home”
-Robert E Lee

Robert E lee predicted with this new “consolidated” American government instituted by the republicans, it would grow to become aggressive abroad in its search for empire. During the civil war our military grew from a small band of mostly state militia to the worlds largest army. Today our military takes billions of federal tax money, and is often used as a police force around the world forcing other countries to conform to our standard. This was never the original intent of the founders who would have viewed our massive military as dangerous to our citizens and a misuse of our military. We are to be a light on a hill of freedom to the world, not to force ourselves onto others and endanger our own citizens while leaving them with heavy taxes.

The philosophy that America must lead the world in military might and be the best, and to use the military for expansion, is a constant theme throughout the Republican party from its founders until today. Even before the civil war was finished, Grant and Sherman both wanted to attack and expand into Mexico. Ever since the GOP has been militaristic and war hungry in the quest for empire. As a Union soldier told Confederate general Stand watie “Anything that stands in the way of the glorious republic must die.” This idea that the empire is more important than liberty is still seen and strong among GOP politicians today. Men must be sacrificed for the good of the empire “America”. General Sherman during the civil war said men, woman and children must be exterminated in order to restore the south.

“We are not going to let a few thieving ragged Indians check and stop the progress of the rail roads...We must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination men, woman, and children””
-General Sherman to U.S grant 1866

“Remove all Indians on land of the union pacific railroad”
-General Grant Orders to General Dodge 1865

The GOP first expansion into empire was out west. Wanting to connect for the better of the government the east and west coast through rail and the transcontinental railroad. They Pushed both whites and Natives from their land at times from gunpoint. Liberty and constitutional rights mattered little to those who put government above liberty.The mission was to accomplish

“Our empire on the pacific, where our civilization can take position of the new continent and confront the old”
Stephen Ambrose The men who Built the Transcontinental Railroads 1863-1869

“Rather than paying for rights of way across Indian lands as James J Hills non subsidized Great Northern Railroad did, the government subsidized Union Pacific and central Pacific railroads got the government to either kill or place on reservations every last Indian by 1890”
-Thomas J Dilorenzo


Lincolns legacy

"What we call liberty our founders called bondage...we have not freed the slaves we have extended the plantation, know, we are all slaves"
-Peter Marshall JR The Great War Debate

Lincoln “Remade America”
-Gary Wills

Lincolns legacy is pretty simple.

“Overthrow the present form of Federal-republican government, and to establish a strong centralized government in its stead...national banks, bankrupt laws, a vast and permanent public debt, high tariffs, heavy direct taxation, enormous expenditure, gigantic and stupendous peculation . . . No more state lines, no more state governments, but a consolidated monarchy or vast centralized military despotism.” “instead of crushing out the rebellion,” the “effort has been to crush out the spirit of liberty” in the Northern states.
-Northern Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham D-Ohio spoke of the reason for Lincolns war 1863



Main References


- Lincoln Unmasked what your not suppose to know about Dishonest Abe Thomas J Dilorenzo Three rivers Press Crown Forum 2006
--The Real Lincoln Thomas J Dilorenzo Three Rivers press NY NY 2002
--Forced into Glory Abraham Lincolns White dream by Lerone Bennett JR Johnson publishing Company Chicago reprint 2000
-Lincolns Marxists Al Benson Jr and Walter Kennedy Pelican Press 2011
-33 questions about American history you're not suppose to ask Thomas Woods Crown forum NY 2007
-The Great Civil War Debate hosted by american vision c-span Peter Marshall Jr. vs Steve Wilkin s
-The politically incorrect guide to the south Clint Johnson 2007 Regnery publications inc
- The states rights tradition nobody knows Thomas Woods
- Thomas Jefferson and the principles of 98 Thomas Wodds
- The Fourteenth amendment Thomas Wodds
-Harry V. Jaffa and Thomas J. DiLorenzo | The Real Abraham Lincoln: A Debate
-The politically incorrect guide to American history Thomas e woods 2004 Regnery publications inc
-The south was Right James Ronald Kennedy and Walter Donald Kennedy Pelican 2014 reprint
-Jefferson Davis The rise and fall of the confederate government
-The Civil war PBS series by Ken Burns
-The American heritage series By Historian David Barton at wallbuilders.com
-Building on the American heritage series by David Barton 2011
-Americas godly heritage by David Barton 1992
-Foundations of freedom by David Barton 2015
-The Constitution Of The Confederate States Of America Explained A Clause By Clause Study Of The Souths Magna -Carta Lochlainn Seabrook Sea Raven Press 2012
-Raphael Semmes, Memoirs of Service Afloat During the War Between the States Baltimore, MD. Kelly Piet & Co. 1868
-Major General John B. Gordon Causes of the Civil War. 1903
-A Constitutional view of the late war between the states: its causes By Alexander Hamilton Stephens 1870
-The Confederate States of America, 1861--1865: A History of the South Lousianna state university press by E.Merton Coulter 1950
-A Defense Of Virginia And The South R.L Dabney 1867 Sprinkle publications
-Myths and Realities of American Slavery John C Perry Burd Street Press 2002
-Redeeming American Democracy Lessons from the confederate constitution Marshall L. Derosa Pelican press 2007
-The Confederate Constitution of 1861: An Inquiry Into American Constitutionalism By Marshall L. DeRosa University of Missouri Press
Last edited by stonewalljackson on Sun Jun 19, 2016 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"How do you like this are coming back into the union"
Confederate solider to Pennsylvanian citizen before Gettysburg

"No way sherman will go to hell, he would outflank the devil and get past havens guard"
southern solider about northern general sherman

"Angels went to receive his body from his grave but he was not there, they left very disappointed but upon return to haven, found he had outflanked them and was already there".
northern newspaper about the death of stonewall jackson
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