Justice Frank J. Williams: Comparing President Abraham Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger B. Taney

Celebrating the grand opening of the “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” exhibit, the Honorable Frank J. Williams will deliver a lecture titled, “Justice: Comparing President Abraham Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger B. Taney.”

Chief Justice Taney and President Lincoln disagreed with each other long before Taney administered the oath to the new President on March 4, 1861. Taney’s majority opinion in the draconian Dred Scott case in 1857 had the North reeling and many spoke out against it, especially Abraham Lincoln. The estrangement would continue through the Civil War as their beliefs and policies were diametrically opposed to each other. Taney believed states could secede and that the Constitution did not permit President Lincoln’s expansion of war powers to include suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, initiation of the military draft, emancipation and use of paper currency. This is a discussion of their contentious relationship.

Following the lecture, the RWU Chorus will perform songs from the Civil War era and a reception will follow.

When: September 23, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

Where: Roger Williams University Library: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center

1 Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI 02809

Cost: Free

More info: http://pdq.rwu.edu/events/lincoln-constitution-and-civil-war-0