Impact of the Civil War

Davis's response to Emancipation Proclamation

'the most execrable measure recorded in history of guilty men' in message to CSA Congress

description of Vallandigham's address by Lincoln

'words of burning eloquence of the arbitrary measures and monarchical usurpations of the Administration, the disgraceful surrender of rights and liberties by the last, infamous Congress and the conversion of the government into a despotism'

loss of civil liberties in North

To win wars, governments often take away many rights that citizens enjoy; With popular support for use of emergency powers during the war, Lincoln was able to restrict opponents' liberties when he felt it necessary.

Milligan case

another example of government removing conventional US civil liberties; Milligan and 4 others arrested and charged for treason in Indiana; were alleged to have planned to liberate Southern POWs - undermining the North's war effort; 5 tried by military court

Lincoln on emacipation

at start, Lincoln fighting to maintain Union, not to end slavery; Needs of war slowly pushed him towards emancipation, if only in rebel states.

Lincoln's re-election

by no means certain in 1864; war not going well for North

South's economy by 1864

hardship; naval blockade by North devastating effect, as South's crash crop of raw cotton could not be exported to Britain; basic foodstuffs, i.e. salt, in short supply; even rich Southerners negatively affected

economies during Civil War

has to adapt to supply and equip large armies

benefits of Emancipation Proclamation for North

increased North's already superior manpower; tipped military advantage even further towards USA with addition of African-American soldiers

class resentment in South

increased as fighting went on because war lasted much longer than expected

most white Southerners in 1864

no longer held enthusiasm that initially welcomed war; life now hard, esp. for those who sat directly in path of Union armies

about 180, 000

number of African-American soldiers served in Northern army (about half from South)

180, 000

number of African-Americans who joined Northern armies in next 3 years after Emancipation Proclamation

over 4, 000

number of military trials by Union that took place during war

10, 000 people

number of people incarcerated with 'prompt trial' by Union during war

estimated 65, 000

number of slaves who stayed and joined Southern army

at least 50, 000

number of white Southerners estimated to have avoided draft

100, 000

number of white Southerners who opposed the Confederacy that left to join Northern army

general strike

occurs when majority of labor force refuse to work; often until demands are met or compromise is agreed; did much to weaken Confederacy by slaves

National Union Party in 1864

party formed by past War Democrats and Republicans; supported Lincoln

10%

percent of African-American soldiers making up total Union troops (about half from South)

May 1865

planned date of execution by hanging of Milligan and 4 others

Vallandigham in 1864

played important part in Democratic Party convention in autumn; Lincoln didn't feel Vallandigham as much of a threat anymore.

price of salt by December 1861

price salt in 1 Georgian city risen from 50 cents/stack to $10

South's cash crop

raw cotton

suspension of habeas corpus in August 1862

reinstated to apply to the whole USA; thousands of people detained without trial, often for flimsiest reasons

Davis on suspending habeas corpus

reluctant; preferred to ask CSA Congress to pass law - who were often hesitant; Congress granted Davis power of suspension for only limited periods - felt obligated to represent stats' strong opposition to those moves.

habeas corpus

right of any person under arrest to appeal to a court of law before being detained; ensures that no one is held without sufficient legal evidence; a right laid out in the Bill of Rights

emancipation

to liberate or give freedom to certain groups who are not allocated the same rights as other people

federal government's role during Civil War

took up more powers in order to wage war effectively

army's emergency powers the regarding press

were able to use powers to control press; closed down Chicago Times for supporting Vallandigham soon after his arrest; able to limit free speech

popular support for use of emergency wartime powers

what allowed Lincoln to restrict opponents' liberties during the war

Baltimore riots

where thousands of Southern sympathizers, including Merryman, stopped US troops from getting to Washington, DC; city was cut off from rest of USA for 1 week

slaves in South's war

whites refused to accept slaves into army - fearful of slave rebellion; expected by whites to replace them on plantations and farms while away at war; helped Northern armies succeed

1862 midterm elections for North

with war not going well, Democrats gained many seats in House; Republicans kept control only because they allied with smaller party composed mainly of War Democrats.

slaves helping the Union

worked as scouts and informers; gave North significant advantage as advanced deep in enemy territory

Milligan case outcome

5 men tried and sentenced to death by hanging in less than a year; by December 1865, war ended and Lincoln assassinated; 2 days before scheduled execution, Andrew Johnson commuted sentence to life imprisonment.

Lincoln's response to Vallandigham case decision

1. backed the army 2. exiled Vallandigham to South, rather than put him in prison 3. overturned ban on Chicago Times 4. wrote open letter to group who criticized his actions - defended himself by asking 'Must I shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who deserts while I must not touch the hair of an agitator who induces him to desert?'

reasons civil liberties more delicate in South

1. most of war fought in South - military requirements took priority over civilians' rights 2. individual Southern states reluctant to put CSA's rights before their own 3. South far from united - difficult to universally define rights 4. Davis reluctant to take lead in suspending habeas corpus

midterm elections

All members of House and 1/3 of Senate up for re-election every 2 years

reason for Emancipation Proclamation

Amendment would take too long to implement; as command-in-chief of army, Lincoln could issue without congressional approval; believed would greatly weaken CSA's war effort - South undermined if slavery weakened; strengthen USA by increasing recruitment into army; diplomatic benefit - Britain ore likely to support anti-slavery North

April 1861

Baltimore riots; Merryman case

suspension of habeas corpus in 1863

Congress supported nationwide suspension; no means of enforcing decision, Taney powerless

suspension of habeas corpus

Constitution maintains that if there is a 'rebellion or invasion,' courts should not issue the writs.

Northern politics during the war

Democrats still contested elections against governing Republicans.

US Northern army units in South

Every Southern state except South Carolina raised at least 1 unit in Northern army; many Union supporters remained in South - weakening CSA's war effort

loss of civil liberties in South

In CSA, issues of civil liberties even more delicate; paralleled USA in its suspension of habeas corpus and inclination towards military courts; use of suspension measures receives less attention than North's because lack of lasting impact on USA

Lincoln freeing all slaves

In order to grant full emancipation, freeing all slaves in both rebel and Union states Lincoln would have to pass Constitutional Amendment.

reason for continual fighting on eastern front in spring of 1864

Lee hoped heavy casualties inflicted on North would harm Lincoln's chances of being re-elected.

result of Baltimore riots

Lincoln suspended habeas corpus along a key railway line in the state of Maryland.

Merryman case outcome

Merryman appealed arrest to SC Judge Roger B. Taney to issue write of habeas corpus and get release; Taney released Merryman - waited for local army general, George Cadwalader to bring him Merryman; general sent colonel instead who explained Cadwalader authorized by president to suspend habeas corpus; Taney ordered court official to bring general to him next day, but Cawalader didn't appear; Taney ruled Lincoln's act unconstitutional

North on slavery in 1861

North prepared to accept continuation of slavery in existing slave states.

slavery

South's foundation of life

Vallandigham case in February 1864

US SC refused to issue writ of habeas corpus on Vallandigham's behalf; said had no authority over military commisions

autumn of 1864

Union clearly winning war

Vallandigham case

Vallandigham arrested 5 days after infamous address in Ohio; accused of breaking military order prohibiting speeches sympathetic to the South; tried by military court; applied for writ of habeas corpus but was refused because of its suspension

Milligan's writ of habeas corpus

While in prison, Milligan petitioned the US SC for writ of habeas corpus; was granted on grounds that civil courts in Indiana were in operation during war - could have heard Milligan's case; freed and later pardoned by Johnson

Southern slaves' response to Emancipation Proclamation

although not immediately apparent; encouraged take more steps to support North; Confederate could not rely on loyalty of slaves - weakened Confederate war effort

Horace Greeley

a leading abolitionist and editor of New York Tribune

Emancipation Proclamation

contained 2 key measures: 1. Slavery would be allowed to continue in all states that returned to Union before January 1, 1863. 2. From January 1, 1863, Union would set free any slaves in territories taken by Union armed forces.

Vallandigham case outcome

court found Vallandigham guilty; sentenced him to imprisonment until end of war; Political storm broke out in both Ohio and Washington, DC - where Lincoln's cabinet ministers opposed the use of military to limit freedom of speech.

January 1, 1863

date Emancipation Proclamation would come into fruition

December 1864

date Milligan and 4 others sentenced to death by hanging

December 6, 1864

date city of Milledgeville's Confederate Union wrote 'If any army of Devils, just let loose from bottomless pit were to invade the country, could not be much worse than Sherman's army'

May 1, 1863

date of Vallandigham's address to crowd of 10, 000 in Ohio

October 1864

date that Milligan and 4 others were arrested and charged for treason in Northern state of Indiana

September 22 1862

date the Emancipation Proclamation issued

problem with military courts

did not follow usual legal processes

Vallandigham's address

given to crowd of 10, 000 in Ohio; spoke for about 2 hours

Vallandigham after Lincoln's decision

escaped to Canada; returned to USA, heavily disguised, in June 1864 - this time left alone by authorities

Merryman case

example of a writ of habeas corpus being ignored by courts; John Merryman, Maryland politician involved in Baltimore riots of April 1861; Merryman placed under military arrest for role in organizing resistance to US forces by committing acts, such as cutting telegraph wire, in Maryland

principle objection to suspension of habeas corpus

gave too much power to the military

Lincoln's response to Merryman ruling

ignored Judge Taney's ruling with the support of Congress; Taney could do nothing; Merryman soon charged and released on bail, but never tried; suspension of habeas corpus itself later suspended, but introduced again in August 1862;

August 1862

in response to open letter from Horace Greeley, Lincoln replied with open letter prioritizing saving the Union

Confederate tax in 1863

introduced 10% tax on all farm products; did not seem to affect lifestyles of well-to-do; Poor farmers struggled as they were being forced to hand over 10% of their produce.

Copperheads

known as Peace Democrats; group of Democrats who were outspoken in opposition to the Civil War; name was a derogatory label given to them by Republicans, likening these dissidents to venomous copperhead snake' name given to Northern Democrats who wanted an early peace with the South

freedoms of Americans

laid out in Bill of Rights (1st 10 Amendments to Constitution); includes right to free speech, right to assembly, and right to due process by law; Bill of Rights guarantees more freedom to its citizens than in any other country in the world.

Lamdin P. Milligan

lawyer and Peace Democrat

Clement Vallandigham

leading opponent of Civil War; unofficial leader of Copperheads

African-Americans in mid-19th century

majority lived in South; most were slaves

white Southerners

most not plantation owners; if owner, sometimes had 1 or 2 slaves; many had no slaves - farmed alone or in rural communities; began to resent ability of better-off to escape deprivations of war, esp. conscription

elections during the war

still held by both sides; party politics in North continued throughout

white Southerners at start of war

supported move to independence from USA; plantation owners most keen due to slavery-based wealth

War Democrats

supported the war; disliked Republican economic policies and Lincoln's violation of civil rights in wartime; joined Republicans in forming National Union Party in 1864 - which renominated Lincoln for president