The commentary of JDS on ex parte Merryman and Lincoln's policies and
views during the war diverges so dramatically from the facts and judgments
of legal/constitutional historians who have written about these matters
that I think it best to refer list subscribers to some of the relevant
works (if they should want to investigate what actually happened in
greater detail):

Harold M. Hyman, A More Perfect Union
Mark E. Neely, Jr., The Fate of Liberty

The suggestion that Lincoln acted like a tyrant or king, abusing his
powers because he had the military backing to do so, is a caricature of
the historical record. His talents as a leader and his moral probity have
been acknowledged by conservatives (e.g., Russell Kirk, Richard Weaver) as well
as centrists and liberals.



Douglas Deal
Professor of History (on leave 2002-2003)
State University of New York at Oswego
Oswego, NY 13126
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