Abraham Lincoln: Martyr, Part Two
2023-06-18
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1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
2Today we are continuing our story about Abraham Lincoln.
3He led the United States during the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865.
4In that conflict, the Southern Confederacy battled the Union - the states that supported the federal government.
5Southern states wanted to make their own laws, including those that protected slavery.
6They were afraid that President Lincoln would use the power of the federal government to ban slavery in their states, as well as in other areas.
7So 11 Southern states withdrew from the rest of the country.
8They stopped recognizing the power of the central government.
9President Lincoln did not think states had the right to withdraw.
10He said he was fighting to reunite the country.
11But in time, he accepted that the Civil War would also be a fight to end slavery.
12Lincoln is known for several qualities as a wartime president.
13One was how he led the military campaign.
14As president, Lincoln worked with top military officials to create a plan.
15They realized that the Union had more resources and more men who could fight than the Confederate forces.
16So, they planned to surround the Southern states, cut off their supplies, and prevent foreign powers from helping the Confederacy.
17Lincoln hoped the Union's generals could execute the plan quickly and end the war as soon as possible.
18But the generals were guarded.
19They did not want to harm their soldiers if they did not have to.
20They also knew the Confederacy had a skilled commander in General Robert E. Lee.
21Troops under another Confederate general, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, also defeated the Union army in several early battles.
22Lincoln was frustrated with the war effort.
23He wanted generals who would not only win battles, but chase after the opposing forces and destroy them so they could not fight again.
24In one famous telegram, he wrote to his top general, George McClellan.
25Lincoln said, "If General McClellan does not want to use the Army, I would like to borrow it for a time..."
26Finally, Lincoln replaced McClellan.
27Then he replaced McClellan's replacements.
28Lincoln changed the presidency by being actively involved as a commander-in-chief of the military.
29He also greatly expanded the powers of the chief executive.
30Lincoln believed that, during war, the president had powers that were greater than those of Congress and the Supreme Court.
31As a result, he took many actions that critics - and even some supporters - considered illegal under the U.S. Constitution.
32For example, Lincoln spent millions of dollars in federal money without getting permission from Congress.
33He also limited freedom of the press, restricted mail service, and declared martial law in some places, even when the situation did not require military action.
34Most notably, Lincoln temporarily suspended the writ of habeas corpus.
35Habeas corpus is an important right in the American legal tradition.
36It means that people who are under arrest have the right to appear personally in court.
37But, at some periods, Lincoln ignored that right.
38He said the Confederacy's "rebellion" justified his actions.
39And, he said, extreme measures were necessary to re-unite the country.
40One of Lincoln's most important legacies relates to slavery.
41The issue was at the heart of the American Civil War.
42For most of his career, Lincoln spoke against slavery.
43But he did not try to bar the custom in states where it already existed. He agreed to leave slavery in the South alone.
44Lincoln also did not really believe in racial equality.
45And he worried that if slavery ended in the United States, blacks and whites would not be able to live peacefully together.
46But as the war continued, Lincoln changed his mind about how to deal with the issue.
47For one thing, anti-slavery activists were urging Lincoln to end slavery for moral reasons.
48Lincoln also considered tactical reasons -- those related to the war.
49He saw that enslaved people in the South were escaping to join Union armies in the North.
50Their actions helped the Union effort.
51Lincoln also wanted to prevent England or France from helping the South.
52The Southern states were important trading partners for Europe.
53But the English and French people had rejected slavery.
54Lincoln hoped that if the Union also rejected slavery, European countries would support the North - or at least not support the South.
55So Lincoln waited until the Union won a major battle in Antietam, Maryland.
56Then he announced that he was using his power as a wartime president to order the end of slavery in the Confederate states.
57He produced a document called the Emancipation Proclamation.
58It said that enslaved people in the rebelling states were "forever free."
59Historians note that the act was important and revolutionary.
60But it was mostly symbolic.
61The federal government was not able to enforce the order at the time.
62And it did not deal with enslaved people in other areas.
63But the Emancipation Proclamation was the beginning of the end of legal slavery in the country.
64During the rest of his presidency, Lincoln worked in support of an anti-slavery amendment to the Constitution.
65That amendment - the Thirteenth - was approved in 1865.
66It officially outlawed slavery across the country.
67Next week we will finish the story of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
68I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents. 2Today we are continuing our story about Abraham Lincoln. 3He led the United States during the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865. In that conflict, the Southern Confederacy battled the Union - the states that supported the federal government. 4Southern states wanted to make their own laws, including those that protected slavery. They were afraid that President Lincoln would use the power of the federal government to ban slavery in their states, as well as in other areas. 5So 11 Southern states withdrew from the rest of the country. They stopped recognizing the power of the central government. 6President Lincoln did not think states had the right to withdraw. He said he was fighting to reunite the country. 7But in time, he accepted that the Civil War would also be a fight to end slavery. 8Commander-in-chief 9Lincoln is known for several qualities as a wartime president. One was how he led the military campaign. 10As president, Lincoln worked with top military officials to create a plan. They realized that the Union had more resources and more men who could fight than the Confederate forces. So, they planned to surround the Southern states, cut off their supplies, and prevent foreign powers from helping the Confederacy. 11Lincoln hoped the Union's generals could execute the plan quickly and end the war as soon as possible. 12But the generals were guarded. They did not want to harm their soldiers if they did not have to. They also knew the Confederacy had a skilled commander in General Robert E. Lee. 13Troops under another Confederate general, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, also defeated the Union army in several early battles. 14Lincoln was frustrated with the war effort. He wanted generals who would not only win battles, but chase after the opposing forces and destroy them so they could not fight again. 15In one famous telegram, he wrote to his top general, George McClellan. Lincoln said, "If General McClellan does not want to use the Army, I would like to borrow it for a time..." 16Finally, Lincoln replaced McClellan. Then he replaced McClellan's replacements. 17Executive power 18Lincoln changed the presidency by being actively involved as a commander-in-chief of the military. He also greatly expanded the powers of the chief executive. 19Lincoln believed that, during war, the president had powers that were greater than those of Congress and the Supreme Court. As a result, he took many actions that critics - and even some supporters - considered illegal under the U.S. Constitution. 20For example, Lincoln spent millions of dollars in federal money without getting permission from Congress. He also limited freedom of the press, restricted mail service, and declared martial law in some places, even when the situation did not require military action. 21Most notably, Lincoln temporarily suspended the writ of habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is an important right in the American legal tradition. It means that people who are under arrest have the right to appear personally in court. 22But, at some periods, Lincoln ignored that right. 23He said the Confederacy's "rebellion" justified his actions. And, he said, extreme measures were necessary to re-unite the country. 24Emancipation Proclamation 25One of Lincoln's most important legacies relates to slavery. The issue was at the heart of the American Civil War. 26For most of his career, Lincoln spoke against slavery. But he did not try to bar the custom in states where it already existed. He agreed to leave slavery in the South alone. 27Lincoln also did not really believe in racial equality. And he worried that if slavery ended in the United States, blacks and whites would not be able to live peacefully together. 28But as the war continued, Lincoln changed his mind about how to deal with the issue. 29For one thing, anti-slavery activists were urging Lincoln to end slavery for moral reasons. 30Lincoln also considered tactical reasons -- those related to the war. 31He saw that enslaved people in the South were escaping to join Union armies in the North. Their actions helped the Union effort. 32Lincoln also wanted to prevent England or France from helping the South. The Southern states were important trading partners for Europe. But the English and French people had rejected slavery. Lincoln hoped that if the Union also rejected slavery, European countries would support the North - or at least not support the South. 33So Lincoln waited until the Union won a major battle in Antietam, Maryland. Then he announced that he was using his power as a wartime president to order the end of slavery in the Confederate states. 34He produced a document called the Emancipation Proclamation. It said that enslaved people in the rebelling states were "forever free." 35Historians note that the act was important and revolutionary. But it was mostly symbolic. The federal government was not able to enforce the order at the time. And it did not deal with enslaved people in other areas. 36But the Emancipation Proclamation was the beginning of the end of legal slavery in the country. During the rest of his presidency, Lincoln worked in support of an anti-slavery amendment to the Constitution. That amendment - the Thirteenth - was approved in 1865. It officially outlawed slavery across the country. 37Next week we will finish the story of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. 38I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. 39Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 40________________________________________________________________ 41Words in This Story 42resources - n. a supply of something (such as money) that someone has and can use when it is needed 43frustrated - adj. very angry, discouraged, or upset because of being unable to do or complete something 44martial law - adj. control of an area by military forces rather than by the police 45legacies - n. things that come from someone in the past 46symbolic - adj. expressing or representing an idea or quality