In the "History Makes a Circle" classification: Abraham Lincoln

[AnnInLa]

Am reading Team of Rivals by Doris Goodwin and was struck by a parallel. In talking about the Mexican War when Polk was President, it seems that Polk called on Congress to recognize that a state of war existed with MX because "Mexico had fired on American soldiers on American soil," (disputed territory.) She reports that this war aroused the patriotic spirit of the American people, who saw the war as a romantic venture. When Lincoln was elected to Congress after the profitable peace negotiations, he did and spoke the following things, according to Goodwin: (emphasis is mine)

1. "When Congress reconvened, they (Polk and Co.) immediately introduced a resolution blaming the war on Mexican aggression......Nine days later, Lincoln introduced a resolution calling on President Polk to inform the House 'whether the particular spot of soil on which the blood of our citizens was so shed' belonged to Mexico or to the US. He challenged the Pres to present EVIDENCE that 'MX herself became the aggressor'..." (Polk ignored Lincoln's demand for evidence that the country of Mexico had attacked the country of the US.)

2. A Congressman from MA introduced a resolution stating that the war had been "unnecessarily and unconstitutionally" initiated by the President. Lincoln voted for the resolution, and in a speech the next week, said that since Polk refused, or was unable, to produce evidence of MX aggression, that the entire matter was, "from beginning to end, the sheerest deception." "Lincoln charged that the pres had hoped to 'escape scrutiny, by fixing the public gaze upon the exceeding brightness of military glory...He went on to liken the pres's war message to the 'half insane mumbling of a fever-dream.' "

3. "The newspaper, the Illinois State Register charged that Lincoln had disgraced his district with his 'TREASONABLE ASSAULT UPON PRESIDENT POLK," and would "henceforth" be known as "Benedict Arnold." ..."Lincoln sought to clarify his polition, arguing that although he had challenged the instigation of the war, he had never voted against supplies for the soldiers. TO ACCEPT POLK'S POSITION WITHOUT QUESTION, HE CLAIMED, WAS TO 'ALLOW THE PRESIDENT TO INVADE A NATION...WHENEVER HE MAY CHOOSE TO SAY THAT HE DEEMS IT NECESSARY.' "

Anyhoo, Lincoln's anti-war stance caused him to take a lot of flack, and he was perpetually defending his resolution (Feingold?)...his own party backed away from him, fearing that the anti-war rhetoric would taint them in future elections.

I guess history does make a circle, and that is a scary prospect, and a heartening one, at the same time.

Note: I just retired from teaching and, on some days, feel this horrible NEED to instruct someone in something....just ignore me, I'll get over it, hopefully. The book is a great one, absolutely fascinating.

[gunsaximbo]

1. It sound great.

I'm going out today to get a copy. It sounds fascinating current.

I am an fanatic that man does not always learn by their mistakes and that history does repeat itself. (when we choose it to).

Gunsaximbo