Comments on: America's second declaration of independence http://www.historynet.com/americas-second-declaration-of-independence.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Wed, 22 May 2013 02:58:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Beatty http://www.historynet.com/americas-second-declaration-of-independence.htm#comment-824508 John Beatty Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:44:35 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13687072#comment-824508 It was, however, not that simple. It was the first time the federal government chose to extend its power into what all at the time regarded at the time as property rights. By freeing the slaves, Lincoln was nullifying their value as property, a taking under any constitutional reading of the period. Civil and human rights claims aside, the Emancipation was a broad reach of federal power and the prerogatives of the executive. It was, however, not that simple.

It was the first time the federal government chose to extend its power into what all at the time regarded at the time as property rights. By freeing the slaves, Lincoln was nullifying their value as property, a taking under any constitutional reading of the period.

Civil and human rights claims aside, the Emancipation was a broad reach of federal power and the prerogatives of the executive.

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