More to do than Fight This Awful War (Article 50)

All Presidents face numerous challenges during their term in office, but, historically, most are remembered for, and identified with, only one or two significant issues they faced and whether or not their efforts succeeded. President Thomas Jefferson is remembered for the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition, although his effort in writing much of the Declaration of Independence twenty years earlier remains a hallmark of his pre-presidential legacy. President Monroe is remembered for establishing the “Monroe Doctrine” and President Polk is most identified with the Mexican War. In the more modern eras, Hoover is synonymous with the Great Depression, Roosevelt gave us the New Deal and faced World War II, and Truman ordered the use of the atomic bomb. President Kennedy left us the space program, but is also remembered by most for the assassination; and Nixon’s legacy was overshadowed by Watergate and resignation. For those more recent Presidents of the last forty (or so) years, we can still recall, or have been taught about, more of the domestic and diplomatic matters in which they were involved; however, if history is any indicator, over time, they too will become identified by only one or two issues.

 Abraham Lincoln is now most identified with the Civil War and for his efforts to end slavery; and, of course his assassination. Certainly, an historic era. But, President Lincoln, as all Presidents, served as the Chief Executive of a vast nation whose citizens had numerous interests and he had to give his time and attention to more than the ongoing Civil War. Every President has found a myriad of problems, issues, and opportunities with which he had to cope.

 Lincoln was no exception.

 The Civil War began within 5 weeks of his inauguration as President and, for the next four years, the war consumed most of his time; but, certainly other matters also required his attention. There were international problems which needed resolution, domestic issues that deserved attention, and opportunities for future enhancements for the United States that should be seized; while, at the same time, he was engaged in a devastating Civil War.

And Lincoln, his key cabinet officers, and a few Senators and Representatives assured these other matters were not neglected.

 In his Report to Congress in 1863, referred to today as a State of the Union Address, Lincoln outlined the numerous topics his administration worked on during the year. Of course, the status of the War held priority and Lincoln first presented a separate report from the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, which detailed each of the significant engagements with the Confederacy and concluded that the Union forces would have control over most of the Southern region within the next year.

 All in all, an optimistic report from the War Department.

 But as Lincoln went through the rest of his report, it became clear that other international and domestic issues would seem to have been enough to occupy a President, even if a Civil War were not raging.

 In his report in December 1863, Lincoln mentioned the following diplomatic matters the country faced the prior year.

 1.      Reached a treaty with Great Britain to formalize a permanent end to the African Slave Trade and to create a cooperative effort to combat violators.

2.      Made progress with Great Britain over border issues between Canada and the territories in the Northwest; which paved the way for Washington, Idaho and Montana to become states a few years later.

3.      Announced the successful arbitration of a dispute with Chile over the seizure of American assets in South America.

4.      A similar arbitration was announced to settle disputes with Peru.

5.      A travel agreement was reached with Nicaragua for U.S. troops to cross through that country from Atlantic to Pacific (fifty years before the Panama Canal was built).

6.      Established diplomatic relations with Columbia

7.      Organized an international conference to establish postal treaties to set rates which would be accepted by all participating nations and permit the unrestricted flow of mail using the postage mark of the originating country.

8.      A continuing issue with Japan was explained resulting from an internal Japanese conflict challenging the authority of the Emperor. Lincoln was clear that the United States would not choose sides.

9.      A joint memorandum with Russia had been completed which would allow a telegraph line to connect the eastern coast of that country with the western coast of the United States. (The actual telegraph line would take another twenty years).

10.  Perhaps most important, Secretary of State William Seward managed to assure that England, France and Spain would remain neutral during the Civil War and not give official recognition to the Confederate States of America.

 The first nine diplomatic successes were important and had to overcome interference from the Confederate government, which hoped to cause international distractions and/or incidents for the Union.  However, it was the tenth objective which certainly affected the outcome of the Civil War. The Confederate government kept up a relentless diplomatic effort to become recognized by European Capitals as a separate and sovereign nation, and to, hopefully, receive financial support and armaments to press the war against the North. Secretary Seward and his Ambassadors to each foreign country were able to thwart those efforts. If they had not been successful, the progress of the Civil War would have been more problematic for President Lincoln and the Union. What makes these diplomatic successes even more remarkable is that they were reached without the instant two-way communications which would later become available with telegraph lines. In 1863, a diplomatic message to an overseas Capital was sent by courier ship, with a travel time measured in weeks, then any reply (including questions and/or critical counter offers) required a similar time before received. It was a process that resulted in numerous “fits and starts” before results were achieved.

 In addition to these diplomatic issues, President Lincoln, and his cabinet, faced these significant domestic matters on the home front.

 1.      Although there had been a telegraph line laid across the Atlantic in 1856, it had failed after a few months. Lincoln proposed that Congress authorize another attempt and add several underwater lines along the Atlantic coast.

2.      He discussed the ongoing Indian disputes in the central states and in the  western territories, which were not yet settled; and some of these had proven deadly to both settlers and the local Indian tribes.

3.      He called for steps that would increase immigration westward, including the Homestead Act which would give parcels of federal land to those who chose to move west.

4.      He called for a national immigration policy to increase the number of workers available for specific labor pools, primarily from Europe. The country needed coal and mineral miners, agricultural workers, and people to work in foundries. He even called for some aid for individuals as an incentive to migrate to the United States.

5.      He announced a review of immigrants who had settled in the United states several years earlier who had benefited from life in the United States but had never applied for citizenship. Lincoln thought some might be purposefully failing to apply to avoid paying federal duty taxes (if they were wealthy or operated a business) and/or to avoid military service. He said either reason to not seek citizenship was reprehensible.

6.      He urged completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, which was underway. He also was pushing the northern states to require the adoption of a universal gauge (track size), to simplify connections.

 And, while the separate report from the Secretary of War was paramount, Lincoln still touched on some issues related to the War in his commentary.

 1.      He called for the building of major Naval ship yards along the Atlantic coast with the capacity to service the hundreds of new and converted Navy ships. He stressed that this was not just a war-time need, but would help assure the United States could protect shipping lanes and participate fully in ocean trade long after the War was over.

2.      He announced that the Military academies, which since their founding had recruiting quotas from all of the United States, had fallen short of new recruits in 1862 because the seceded states sent no candidates. By Lincoln’s executive order, the Secretaries of War and Navy had increased the quotas from states remaining in the Union; and the academies’ classes were again filled.

 Then, to address a matter on the mind of almost every person in 1863, whether they were in the north or south, he also discussed the perplexing questions that had arisen since the Emancipation Proclamation had become effective a year earlier.

 Lincoln gave a report on the status of emancipation of slaves in Union held territories, and the initial reconstruction processes for several former Confederate states whose citizens were ready to rejoin the Union. He expressed concern that the Emancipation Proclamation would be ruled a war-time measure and feared there would be attempts to re-instate slavery in some states, even to those individuals earlier emancipated. He declared that he would work with Congress to remedy that issue. (Note: a few months later, in 1864, the Senate passed the proposed 13th Amendment to the Constitution which would make slavery illegal, the House of Representatives passed the proposed Amendment in February 1865, and the necessary number of states ratified the Amendment in November 1865, making it part of the U.S. Constitution).

 His concluding remarks, of that 1863 “State of the Union” address, are not often quoted, but ring true today.

 “Our chief care must still be directed to the Army and Navy, who have thus far borne their harder part so nobly and well; …we do also honorably recognize the gallant men, from commander to sentinel, who compose them, and to whom more than others the world must stand indebted for the home of freedom … regenerated, enlarged, and perpetuated.”

 As all Presidents who served before and after him, Abraham Lincoln had numerous matters with which to contend. In his case, he was leading the nation through a destructive and deadly war between Americans, but was also addressing these other important issues.

 And,  he was looking to the future and planning for the time when the “Awful Civil War” was no more.

 That is Presidential leadership!

Contact the author at  gadorris2@gmail.com