The war is "a wanton outrage upon the Constitution"; "the president's policies (have been) incredible, mendacious, ruinous, mischievous, disgraceful, dishonorable, reckless, and infamous." And, the president, "...waging war against the Constitution, was a free people's greatest enemy."

HistorianChick

And on January 12, 1848 Lincoln spoke in Congress about the war....

George_1950

General Grant does not sound like a Jacksonian Democrat in those remarks. "Jackson symbolized the new attitudes of equality in a number of ways; he was the first president who was not a Virginian or an Adams, and he was a pioneer, an American Indian fighter, and a war hero." The Free Dictionary Jacksonian Democrat - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about Jacksonian Democrat

George_1950

Lincoln was in Congress at that time? You are very warm, HC. Just curious: what was Lincoln's view of the war?

HistorianChick

Lincoln was against the war because President Polk could only stretch the truth and squeeze rationalization out of half-truths and misconceptions. Actively protesting the war, in his address to Congress he said, "The result of this examination was to make the impression, that taking for true, all the President states as facts, he falls far short of proving his justification; and that the President would have gone farther with his proof, if it had not been for the small matter, that the truth would not permit him."

Basically, if you can't provide proof, don't request military action. And, the reason for the Constitution giving the power of war to Congress was to keep a tyrannical "king" from throwing the country into a war for their own whims. He believed that Polk was acting as a King rather than a President.

George_1950

So, perhaps it was someone in Representative Lincoln's party?

HistorianChick

You're wicked, you know that??? lol

George_1950

Good work, here, HC; can you imagine arguing with Lincoln? What if he were your father? From what I recall, however, he spoiled his children terribly.

George_1950

I consider that a compliment!

HistorianChick

And this is quite a compliment, too!

Yes... arguing with Lincoln would not be fun at all...

I'm still searching, but wow... you have seriously stumped me!

George_1950

Let's say the mystery man is a member of Lincoln's party and he is from Georgia; and probably no friend of Lincoln. He made a name for himself in the Confederate States of America.