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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLincoln’s treatment of Civil War deserters
There were three areas in which Lincoln's pardoning power could be applied. The first related to cases in the civil courts. During his tenure, Lincoln reviewed 456 civil cases; 375 of them - over 82 percent - received pardons. The second class had to do with those in rebellion against the government. This being the Civil War, more than half the country qualified.
The third category was in military cases. It was here that Lincoln received the most criticism for what was perceived as his interference in the flow of military justice and discipline. He made it clear from the beginning that he was "unwilling for any boy under 18 to be shot," and he had a tendency to pardon youths who had fallen asleep on guard duty or had deserted. Gen. Joseph Hooker once sent an envelope to the president containing the cases of 55 convicted and doomed deserters; Lincoln merely wrote "Pardoned" on the envelope and returned it to Hooker.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/the-limits-of-lincolns-mercy
Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Now they're out for blood at any cost.
Archae
(46,364 posts)The party was taken over by prohibitionist fundys, anti-science "Warr'yers fer Jay-zus," bought-and-paid-for pro-corporatists.
smallcat88
(426 posts)the southern strategy of the sixties.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)Oh wait...
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.
--W. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)beholder. "the dread and fear of kings" is still true today. They claim to hear the voice of God, GWB. "It's enthroned in the hearts of Gods". "The Merchant of Venice" speaks to the worship of profit over humanity, imho.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)I have the first disc of The Hollow Crown and am all set to watch!
smallcat88
(426 posts)was one of the greatest ever, haven't read that in a long time. One of those timeless writers who understood the human psyche which is why he's still relevant today.
saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)wonder, was Shakespeare a royal who loved the truth of court jesters and troubadours? It is possible he/she was a "common" person with great intelligence?
Faryn Balyncd
(5,125 posts)Executive Mansion
Washington, January 26, 1863
Major General Hooker:
General.
I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I have done this upon what appear to me to be sufficient reasons. And yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which, I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a brave and a skilful soldier, which, of course, I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in yourself, which is a valuable, if not an indispensable quality. You are ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather than harm. But I think that during Gen. Burnside's command of the Army, you have taken counsel of your ambition, and thwarted him as much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. I have heard, in such way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both the Army and the Government needed a Dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command. Only those generals who gain successes, can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship. The government will support you to the utmost of it's ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done and will do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the Army, of criticising their Commander, and withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall assist you as far as I can, to put it down. Neither you, nor Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army, while such a spirit prevails in it.
And now, beware of rashness. Beware of rashness, but with energy, and sleepless vigilance, go forward, and give us victories.
Yours very truly
A. Lincoln
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/hooker.htm
They ain't making Republicans like Lincoln any more. (as if anyone needed reminding.)
former9thward
(32,111 posts)The person at the link was executed for slave trading not desertion.
More soldiers were executed during the American Civil War (18611865) than in all other American wars combined. Approximately 500 men, representing both North and South, were shot or hanged during the four-year conflict, two-thirds of them for desertion.
http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Military_Executions_During_the_Civil_War
147 Union soldiers were executed for desertion in the Civil War. http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/23934