Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Part 2

In the United States, during the period of the Early Republic, there was a profound fear of the “Great Man on Horseback,” a military man who would undermine the people’s rule through demagoguery, and by use of the mob transform executive power. The Founders looked to Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon River, overthrowing the Roman Republic, and transforming that edifice into the Empire as an example of such a phenomenon. Caesar, the embodiment of greatness, not only through military conquest, but also by the way of his literary and oratorical talents, dazzled the citizenry of Rome, while undermining the Republican order. In the late 18th, early 19th century, in the Founder’s midst, there was another such man in France. At first, an obscure artillery officer, Napoleon Bonaparte rose to military fame by gaining victories in Italy and Egypt, before seizing the reins of power of the state and finally creating, of all things, a monarchy. Like Caesar, Napoleon was able to gain the people’s favor by appealing to military grandeur. But the result was the same, the overthrowing of the republican order and the creation of an imperial entity. Much later, within the boundaries of the United States, a different story unfolded with the rise of Andrew Jackson. His election caused a great deal of consternation on the part of Old Hickory’s detractors. Jackson’s brash and ambitious attitude contributed to many Americans being anxious about his presidency and fearful he would undermine the constitutional order. He was a military man and his temperament wasn't necessarily conducive to democratic politics and checks and balances. But, Jackson was a fervent believer in the American experiment of rule by the people, and his period in office is remembered partly by an expansion of the suffrage. Yet, this lingering fear of the great man gaining power through popular means, but putting into place insidious policies permeated the political discourse. A young Abraham Lincoln for one reasoned the undermining of America would not come from foreign invasion, but from the rise of this Great Man on Horseback. Lincoln argued “no foreign power would ever drink from the waters of the Ohio” but it was likely our liberties would be lost from within, by a people who had forgotten its revolutionary struggle and the true taste of liberty. Lincoln was correct to assume that the destruction of the Republic would come from internal sources but the notion of the great man on horseback would appear to be anachronistic. But if this internal threat is real, where does it emanate from? At the moment there is a menace! It is a very stark and destructive danger which paints itself as part of the popular will and a cure of past ills. The threat to America comes from elites, whether in the media, the bureaucracy or from the political parties. These are the sources of dissension and destruction. The media’s constitutional purpose is to safeguard freedom of speech and the press by providing an avenue to disseminate information and serve as a watchdog to elected officials and the government. Well, the media has acquiesced from this obligation and thrown themselves in with the Left. From the IRS scandal of the Obama years, to the baseless accusation of Russian collusion, to ignoring the Hunter Biden impropriety specifically, and the Biden family financial chicanery generally, the media has neglected stories which would undermine the narrative they wish to convey. But in doing so, they have abdicated their constitutional duty to inform the people of nefarious hijinx and check and balance the power of the government. Then there is the bureaucracy! Public officials who are servants to the nation. Well, maybe sometimes. In our midst, we have a National Security Agency which spies on American citizens without any legal probable cause but for a profoundly political cause. Then there is a legal system which goes on a witch hunt of the former President and his supporters but ignores a history of the Biden family enriching themselves on account of holding public office. And finally, there is the Democratic Party! Oh yes, the Democratic Party! This party of the donkey has undermined the nation’s institutions by the constant lying about the contemporary presence of Jim Crow laws. Not sure how the need for a photo ID to vote is commensurate with Jim Crow? Yet, there is more! In the summer of 2020, there was tacit support of rioting and looting throughout American cities, by elected officials. Need I say using the mob to promote chaos and tyranny. This is just a sampling! There are a whole host of other examples against the media, the bureaucracy, and the parties. But these illustrate Lincoln’s point, the threat to the Republic will come from internal foes and at the moment, there are quite a few.