Agreed. This ground has been plowed many times on this board. So far, no one has established, to my satisfaction, their credentials as Constitutional scholars, so I give little credence to the opinions expressed on either side of this question. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, except as an historical footnote. Whether Lincoln exceeded his authority or not, he preserved the Union and set us firmly on the path to becoming the most powerful nation on the planet. All true patriots will agree that that is a good outcome.