Page 43 - All About History - Issue 18-14

What if…

ABRAHAM LINCOLN HADN’T BEEN ASSASSINATED?

Thisisaquestionoverwhichmanyhistorianshavepuzzled.
Lincolnhimselfevolvedduringthecourseofthewar.
Originally he was against slavery, but thought the freed slaves
should be returned to Africa. Originally he took the view that
perhapssomeofthemoreintelligentblackmenshouldbe
allowedtovote,butthatwasall.Lincolnalsotooktheview
that the white man and the black man, whatever their legal
rights,couldneverbetrulyequal.Hewasaproductofthe
frontier in which he grew up, and his views for that time and
place, were actually somewhat progressive.
During the war years, his views began to change. He
became content with the idea that the freed slaves would
stay in the United States. He seemed to embrace the cause of
whatwasknownas“universalNegrosuffrage.”AsImentioned
above,Idon’twanttoclaimthathadLincolnlived,thegreat
sweepofhistorywouldhavebeendifferent.Thatattachestoo
much importance to a single individual. But would there have
perhapsbeenmoreprogress,moreswiftly,atleastinafew
areas?Iwouldliketothinkso.
What would the repercussions of such an impeachment
havebeenforLincoln?Howwouldithaveaffectedhis
political career and ultimately his place in history?
Thosewhoaremartyredoftenfarebetterinhistorythan
thosewhoarenot.InLincoln’sday,itwascommonfor
membersoftheeducatedclassestoclaimthateverypresident
sinceAndrewJohnson(whomtheelitedidn’tlikeanyway)
hadbeenmediocre.Lincolnplainlywasn’tmediocre;the
CivilWar,theEmancipationProclamation,andthe13th
Amendment proved that. In prosecuting the war, Lincoln suspended the right of habeas Lincoln wasn’t Booth’s original
target – he originally intended to
I think his place in history would, or should, in any case corpus. He ignored court orders to release prisoners. He
assassinate Ulysses E Grant and
have been secure. But it is the assassination, I think, that allowed his secretary of state and his military to imprison Andrew Johnson
raisedhimtoanexaltedstatusthatleaveshimdifficultto journalists. He had his secret service read every telegram sent
criticise.WouldIstillconsiderhim,asIdo,thegreatestofthe in the United States. He used force to prevent the Maryland
USpresidents?Iwouldliketothinktheanswerisyes.Butof legislature from meeting to vote on secession. The list goes Have your say
courseIhavenosurewaytotell. on. Lincoln did many things any modern president would be Do you agree with our
impeached for. But it’s important to remember that the office expert’s view?
Lincoln had to make some rather unpopular, perhaps itself was young in his day, and his understanding of his own
even brutal, decisions to help facilitate the end of the powers arose at a time when the government was weak, and /AllAboutHistory
CivilWar.Whatwouldtherepercussionshavebeenfor the need for action was strong. I’m not justifying the things he ©Look&Learn
himfollowingtheendofthewar? did; I’m just trying to place them in context. @AboutHistoryMag

O Reconstruction begins O Alaska is purchased O Secretary of war suspended
A plan detailed by Lincoln before Alongside secretary of state William Johnson, increasingly unpopular
his death, ‘Reconstruction’ is Seward, Andrew Johnson oversees the with Congress, comes to blows with
designed to reunify the states and purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 secretary of war Edwin Stanton.
heal a country ravaged by war. million. The newly acquired territory is Johnson demands his resignation,
Under Johnson, the process is renamed the District of Alaska. Stanton refuses and Johnson
accelerated. 1865-1877 30 March 1867 suspends him. 5 August 1857

O A public trial O Civil Rights Act is enacted O Lincoln is impeached O Congress impeaches Johnson
Booth is publicly tried for his crime. The Despite Johnson’s attempt to veto it, A radical movement manages to organise Johnson informs Congress of Stanton’s
court, made up mostly of Northerners, Congress passes the first federal law an impeachment of the president based suspension. Congress reinstates Stanton,
finds him guilty by unanimous vote. that defines that all US citizens are on the Reconstruction’s lack of substance who is then suspended again by Johnson.
He’s sentenced to hang. Lincoln, keen to equal in the eyes of the law, including and his unwillingness to punish the rebel Congress impeaches Johnson for being in
strengthen the fragile relationship with former slaves and members of the states. Lincoln is savvy enough to use the breach of the Tenure of Office Act.
the South, pardons him. 9 June 1865 defeated Confederacy. 9 April 1866 event to his advantage. 1868 24 February 1868

O Civil Rights Act passed O Reconstruction starts O The white uprising O A country reunited O Lincoln passes away
Lincoln appeases the radical Congress pushes hard for a The newly formed Ku Klux A shaken yet resolute Lincoln Having seen Reconstruction
movement within the tangible start to Reconstruction, Klan attacks African-American concedes that Reconstruction through to its end, Lincoln
Republican Party by pushing but Lincoln is unwilling to families and agents of the needs a swifter resolution. passes away a year after
through the 14th Amendment, accelerate it, much to VP Freedman Bureau. With the Eventually, the rebel states are his beloved wife Mary. The
ensuring the rights of every Johnson’s chagrin. However, in help of war hero Ulysses S reintegrated into the Union country mourns the loss of
US citizen. late-1867, Lincoln commences Grant, Lincoln sees the Klan with enough sanctions to their former president.
15 January 1866 the process. September 1867 dismantled. August 1868 appease the North. 1870 November 1882

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