LAD #16- Emancipation Proclamation

This proclamation was issued on September 2, 1862 and stated that on January 1st all persons held as slaves within any State where the people rebelled against the U.S. are now and forever free. Also the government and military will recognize these people as free and will do no act to repress them. Any representative from a state sent to the Congress of the U.S. on this day will be evidence that the state no longer rebels against the U.S. Later in the Proclamation Lincoln announces all the states that he will make war against if they do not submit to the Proclamation. Lincoln urges in this proclamation that the newly freed men abstain from all violence unless in self-defense and recommends that they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. He also declares that all people suitable to fight will be put into the armed service of the U.S. to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places. The final statement says that Lincoln sincerely believes this to be an act of justice warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, and that he invokes the considerate judgment of mankind.

LAD #15- Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address

At Lincoln’s 1st inaugural address much thought was directed to an impending civil war, however this one was devoted to save the Union without war. Both sides did not want war however one of the side would rather cause a war than let the nation survive and the other would accept the war instead of letting the nation die. One-eighth of the population was colored slaves and many knew that they slaves localized in the South were a cause of the war. To extend this interest in slavery was one objective of the secessionists. Lincoln states that each side is alike, they both read the same Bible, pray to the same God and each side invokes their aid against the other. He also stated that the prayers by both to beat the other side could not both be answered. At the end of his speech Lincoln states that we should all strive to bind up the nation’s wounds and to care for it.

LAD #14 Dred Scott Decision

Over the case of Dred Scott on February 14, 1857, it favored a moderate decision that ruled in favor of Sanford but did not consider the larger issues of Negro citizenship and the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise. Nelson was elected to work on the decision. The Court elected to throw out Nelson's decision and instead chose Chief Justice Roger B.
By inauguration day 1857, Buchanan knew what the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision would be and took the opportunity to throw his support to the Court in his inaugural address. On March 6, 1857, the first question asked was Taney's opinion stated that Negroes, even free Negroes, were not citizens of the United States, and that therefore Scott, as a Negro, did not even have the privilege of being able to sue in a federal court. Similarly, Congress could not deprive the citizens of the territory of "life, liberty, or property without due process of law," according to the Fifth Amendmentessed was the Negro citizenship, not only that of slaves but also that of free blacks. Since the constitution made no distinct difference between slavery and proptery, Taney reasoned that the Missouri Compromise deprived slaveholding citizens of their property in the form of slaves and that therefore the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Taney ruled that the case be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and sent back to the lower court with instructions for that court to dismiss the case for the same reason, therefore upholding the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Sanford.

LAD #13 The Gettysburg Address

The founding fathers created this nation, the nation that made all men equal was now in a civil war. The lives lost in this war are lives lost in a fight to preserve the Union that our fathers tried so hard to create. Because of the men that lost there lives for this cause we should have a greater appreciation for the dead and for the cause that they fought for. After this civil war hopefully this nation will have a rebirth. "...God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

LAD #12 First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

There is uncertainty regarding the Southern states at this time. Lincoln does not want to interefere with the slave states because the constitution states he cannot. He made this very clear in his platform. It is the rights of the states to decide the issue of slavery. When Lincoln is the president no states will be denied there basic rights. He helps to explain that the fugitive slave controversy by quoting Article IV. Section 2 in the constitution. Congress and the rest of the government officials are to abide by that law. There are arguements about whether the nation or the states should deal with this. The slave doesn't care with who deals with it. Free blacks or slaves should be considered under the clause that states garauntee "the citizens of each stat shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states." There have been 15 great presidents before Lincoln and they all did an excellent job in the executive position. He, however is entering the office at a difficult time: Disunity within the Union. If we follow the constitution the Union will be able to last. The Union, however has lasted longer than the constitution has since the Union was started in 1774 with the Articles of Association. If the Union can be destroyed now it proves that we are weaker than before the constitution was written. No one state is allowed to leave the Union. Lincoln is determined to practice the laws of the constitution in every state. We can preserve the Union without having a war. There are some people who would like to destroy the Union, but there are also those who wish to preserve it. Your rights in the constitution are never denied and if they are then you have a reason to revolt. If a miniority amount of states decide to seceeded, then why can't the majority as well. The United States is constantly changing because of popular opinion and it represents popular sovereignty. Anyone who is against this must be an anarchist. The Judicial branch also has a say in the way the constitution is interpreted they decide what is constitutional and what is not. Part of our country wants slavery and part of it does not. The foreign slave trade is now illegal and is being enforced. United States citizens can peacefully revolt by ammending the constitution. The people of the United States think that the Chief Magistrate should fix the Union, but Lincoln says that the people can help to fix the Union. The people of the United States need to be friends, not enemies.

LAD #11

John Calhoun speech dealt with, clays compromise also known as the compromise of 1850. It dealt with what should be done with the land the the us had just acquired form Mexico. Whether is should become free or slave territory. This issue 30 years before had also been in the walls of the capitol when the Missouri compromise was worked out. The compromise took the disputed land form texas and made it in to the states of arizone new mexico and Nevada dn utah. Slavery would not be mentioned in the forming of these states and popular sovereignty would decide whether slavery would or would not exist. This bill took many months to pass thorugh congress but finally it made it thought and it was presentes in this speech by Calhoun which had to be read for him as he was very ill and died only days later.

LAD #10

John Polk war speech deals with the United States and its relations with Mexico in 1845. He says the relations are currently peaceful but that a war is inevitable. With the issues of the Mexican border and Texas being very week something will eventually happen and the US should make the first move to gain the upper hand.

LAD #9 Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions

The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was written in 1848. It states both men and women are created equal and they both have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This document is very similar to the Declaration of Indepence. It is said that history has shown that men have always tried to dominant women and the declaration gives a list of grievances against men. One grievance states that man never let women vote. Women had to obey laws that they had no say in making. Women were denied rights that men, foreign and native were given. Women have no right to property, even money they earn themselves. Women were sick of doing housework, they wanted a say as well. Men used to be in charge of divorces and they chose who got to keep the children. Women were not allowed an education and there were no women in the fields of law, medicine, and theology. After the grievances is a list of resolutions that fix the grievances. Some resolutions include, that women and man are no equal. Women will now have a voice in religious assemblies. Women were now allowed to vote.