WI: Lincoln suspends 1864 election

Wallet

Banned
Abraham Lincoln suspended habues corpus in the name of preserving the union, even though today we consider it his lowest moment as president.

What if he suspended the 1864 presidential elections. His political enemies feared he would, and some of his advisors suggested it. We have no evidence it was ever seriously considered. We know he feared losing, so he always planned on an election.

Say the Union has some major fuckupsand the CSA get extremely lucky that they are in a position to attack Washington D.C , St.Louis, Philadelphia and maybe Cincinnati.

Of course, the CSA can't and the Union might control Tennessee and New Orleans. Basically a situation where either side can win the war but can't make the other sue for peace or surrender.

Lincoln decides he would lose, and he needs to save the Union. Plus he believes it would be dangerous to have elections in the border states and be distracted.

So he suspends the election until the war is over hopefully by 1866 or 1868.

Of course congress would be in an uproar. Here's another idea never considered by Lincoln but some claim he was advised. Keep in army in DC to frighten congress.

Congress feared this throughout the war. After Lincoln was shot, General Sherman negotiated a surrender of all of General Johnson's army. Congress was so shocked they order the negotiations to be vaulted cuz they feared Sherman would March his army into Washington to launch a coup

And McCellen thought about. Just food for thought
 

Grimbald

Monthly Donor
While I cannot see Lincoln being that crazy I think it immediately leads to his impeachment or failing that the creation of a Copperhead Confederation.

I know Democrats controlled the House and they may have held the Senate. A move like this convinces every "fence sitter" in the north that Lincoln is a despot. It will not end well for the Union.
 
"But the election was a necessity.

We can not have free government without elections; and if the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us..." https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/1864election.htm

This would be something different in kind, not degree, from the suspension of habeas corpus. After all, the Constitution itself specifically authorizes the suspension of the writ "when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it" (without specifically stating *who* shall do the suspending). There is no such power given to suspend elections.
 
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It's important to note that Lincoln wasn't able to fully legally suspend habeus corpus until March 1863. His first attempt was tricky and opposed by the Supreme Court, Congress, and the Senate, and each time he suspended it until then it had questionable legality thanks to its very vague wording.

If he had that much trouble suspending habeus corpus in wartime, how much trouble do you think he would have suspending elections?
 
We get our only impeached president in history, and the Army deals with it. They aren't revolting, as if the Confederates are in position to attack the North, it's now a fight for home, and if they're in the South, victory is around the corner. If Congress makes peace in either situation, there'll be grumbling, and likely a rematch a few years (14-20) later, but no revolt.
 
I know Democrats controlled the House and they may have held the Senate...

"It ain't what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you think you know that ain't so."

In 1864, the House had 183 members; only 72 were Democrats. 86 were Republicans, 25 were Unionists.

The Senate had 50 members: 10 Democrats, 33 Republicans, and 7 Unionists.

(NOTE: West Virginia, with two Senators and three Representatives, was admitted on 4 August 1863. Two Virginia Senators had been seated during the previous Congress; one died 2 January 1864, and the seat was left vacant.)
 

Grimbald

Monthly Donor
My bad.

I had always been told the Democrats won the 1862 mid terms.

Only 68 and I still get to learn something every day.
 
I can see Congress impeaching Lincoln, to be honest. Every attempt would be made to dissuade him but if he persisted, they would take legal (and, if required) physical action.
 
Legal challenges aside, the Constitution explicitly provides support for suspending habeas corpus in times of insurrection. No such provision for suspending elections.
 

Wallet

Banned
While I cannot see Lincoln being that crazy I think it immediately leads to his impeachment or failing that the creation of a Copperhead Confederation.

I know Democrats controlled the House and they may have held the Senate. A move like this convinces every "fence sitter" in the north that Lincoln is a despot. It will not end well for the Union.
Nope, when the south left so did their reps and senators giving the republicans full control of both chambers
 
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