Lincoln on the constitutionality of war at whim
February 25th, 2004
Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation whenever he shall
deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so
whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose,
and you allow him to make war at pleasure. Study to see if you can fix
any limit to his power in this respect, after having given him so much
as you propose. If to-day he should choose to say he thinks it necessary
to invade Canada to prevent the British from invading us, how could you
stop him? You may say to him,–I see no probability of the British
invading us”; but he will say to you, “Be silent: I see it, if you
don’t.”
—Rep. A. Lincoln, 1848.
Slacktivist has the full
text of this letter as well as one
just prior.