On January 12, 1848, Abraham Lincoln, a Whig congressman from Illinois, delivered a speech questioning the justification for the Mexican-American War. Lincoln argued that the war was "unnecessary and unconstitutional." A month earlier, he had requested that President James K. Polk provide evidence that the initial cause and first battle of the war occurred on U.S. soil.

In his speech, Lincoln critically examined the President's evidence, focusing on eight key points, or resolutions, related to whether the casualties had occurred in territory governed by Texas or the United States. Lincoln argued that none of the evidence presented by Polk definitively proved that the bloodshed had taken place on U.S. soil, calling the evidence insufficient and inconclusive.

Lincoln demanded that Polk "answer, fully, fairly, and candidly," stressing that if it could be proven that the fighting had indeed occurred on U.S. territory, he would gladly reverse his position. His challenge was part of the broader context of the Spot Resolutions, which Lincoln had introduced earlier in 1847. These resolutions demanded that Polk specify the exact "spot" where American blood had been shed, as evidence that the war had been initiated on U.S. soil. Lincoln believed that the war had been deliberately provoked by Polk to extend U.S. territory and he did not support it without clear justification.

At the time, Polk believed the war would be brief, but Lincoln criticized him for failing to show his constituents any clear end to the conflict. Lincoln's challenge to Polk's justification was a pivotal moment in the growing opposition to the war, as many questioned the motives behind U.S. involvement.

Source: Abraham Lincoln Protests the Mexican War
Copyright 2021 Digital History