hat Abraham Lincoln was the country's greatest president in over all tings. Lincoln's term rested on his conviction that he needed to stop the South from seceding and to preserve republican government, as “the last best hope of mankind.” Southern states seceded from the United States in 1860 and 1861, leading to the Civil War, the greatest crisis in the nation's history. Lincoln reacted by exerting his presidential authority to the fullest measure. Without congressional sanction, he increased the armed forces beyond the limits established by law, and spent millions of dollars for which no congressional appropriations had been made. Lincoln also emancipated the slaves in the rebellious Southern states and issued presidential decrees to begin Reconstruction—the process of rebuilding the south's tattered political and economic system. An effective president will always be a uniter rather than a divider. He must also have some stubbornness and disagreeableness, in order to stand his ground. Even though times of war may arise, their ultimate goal should be peace. The people want peace, dignity, equality, and opportunity. Over all the president has the up most control over the country....
