“Lincoln’s suspensions of Habeas Corpus all happened while Congress was not in session, and after the fact, no serious efforts were made in Congress to censure Lincoln, or revoke his actions.”
Read that back to me again and ask if you’d accept Lincoln unilaterally suspending civil rights of those whom he himself claimed were American citizens.
“First of all: in fact, Lincoln never “declared war” on anyone, as explained in previous posts.”
Which makes it even worse. What gave Lincoln the authority to fire on Fort Sumpter? What gave Lincoln the authority to mobilize troops to fire on American citizens? What gave him the authority to cross the Virginia border and invade?
Congress?
Or Lincolm himself?
The Constitution defines "treason against the United States" as "...levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies..."
It does not say: those who commit treason are thereby no longer citizens.
So all presidents since George Washington enforced laws against treason, with or without prior Congressional approval.
We might also note that Confederate President Davis did not wait for Confederate Congress to formally declare war before starting war against United States Army troops in Fort Sumter.
JCBreckenridge: "What gave Lincoln the authority to fire on Fort Sumter?"
What are you talking about?
Lincoln didn't "fire on Fort Sumter".
That was Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
JCBreckenridge: "What gave Lincoln the authority to mobilize troops to fire on American citizens?
What gave him the authority to cross the Virginia border and invade?"
Might I suggest you study the Militia Act 1792 for starters?
Then please remember that Lincoln did not "cross the Virginia border" until after the Confederacy formally declared war on the United States, and Virginia formally joined the Confederacy's war.
What the hell history books are you reading????