Case of Vallandigham

I. National Security v. Civil Liberties

A. Is loyalty obedience?

B. What is the role of dissent?

C. Paradox of the Preamble

"We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

II. Vallandigham Incident

A. Lincoln's suspension of civil liberties

1. Suspension of habeas corpus

2. Military over civilian rule

3. Crack down on dissent

B. Democratic opposition

1. Supporters of the war

2. Copperheads

C. Vallandigham's arrest

D. Vallandigham's conviction

E. Vallandigham's punishment

III. Letter of the Committee

A. Loyalty (1, 2)

B. Civil over military courts (3)

C. Unconstitutionality of Vallandigham's arrest (4)

D. Fatal blow to rule by law (5)

E. Definition of treason (6)

F. Importance of civil liberties in times of civil commotion (7)

G. Right to criticize the government (8)

H. Undo wrong done (9)

I. Restatement of loyalty (10)

IV. Counterargument (Handbook [96-8])

V. Lincoln's Reply

A. Ethos

1. Fair

2. Generous

3. Nonpartisan

4. Open to criticism

B. Logos

1. Unstated premise:

--Will continue to support despite folly of administration

2. Premises

a. Support the war

b. Protest alleged violation of Constitution

c. Constitution the same in all situations

3. Fallacies/logic

--Civil liberties in times of civil commotion

***Close reading (Handbook [101])

4. Strength of evidence

5. New evidence/New context

a. Insurgent sympathizers

b. Conspiracy

c. Military over civil courts

d. Need for preemptive arrests

6. Reinterpret existing evidence

a. Vallandigham not arrested for treason

b. Vallandigham not arrested for attack on administration

c. Vallandigham arrested for attack on military

C. Pathos

1. Appeal to fear

2. Appeal to loyalty

3. Appeal to sympathy