Lincoln the Tyrant

Lincoln the Tyrant

There is no doubt that Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the great American presidents. The general public, when asked about Lincoln, will often tell the tale of a great man. Holding their head high, they will embark on the journey of a benevolent leader, praising the man who envisioned a new America: a great country of racial equality, and the pillar of human liberty. There are some, however, who have quite the opposite view.

In his work, The Real Lincoln, economic historian Thomas J. DiLorenzo tells quite the different tale. Daring to criticize this beloved president, DiLorenzo defends his antithetical statements with several key points: Lincoln was more similar to a dictator than an American President. Arguing that the War Between the States was wholly unconstitutional, DiLorenzo corrects the popular misconception that Lincoln’s war was one of abolition. War was not necessary to end slavery, but it was necessary to fulfill Lincoln’s true agenda – to destroy the most significant check on the powers of the central government: the right of secession.1

During the civil war, Lincoln blatantly disregarded the U.S. Constitution and adapted his own form of government. His first step was to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. With such rights thrown away, Lincoln arbitrarily imprisoned those who publicly disagreed with his principles.

American citizens accused of crimes have a constitutional right to a speedy public trial by an impartial jury, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to be confronted with witnesses against them, to bring witnesses in their favor, and to have the assistance of legal counsel. On April 27, 1861, Lincoln decided that such constitutional...

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...rica’s great Tyrant.

Footnotes

1. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 9.

2. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 135.

3. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 145.

4. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 141.

5. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 150.

6. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 35.

7. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 11.

8. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 48.

9. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 275.

10. Thomas J. DiLorenzo, The Real Lincoln (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002) 269.