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Where We Are & How We Got Here # 11 of 14

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• John 7, verse 24. Our Lord says, "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." I hope that you remember in the last 11 weeks now, we've been studying on the general theme "Where We Are and How We Got Here." The last two messages I have really been dealing with, basically, who began the war of 1861 through 1864. And I've shown you how that the North was always wanting the war, and how that Lincoln, last week, secretly sent G. V. Fox and an expedition to Fort Sumter to force the war.

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• Well, in some of my research, I ran across a little footnote. It said, "For proof that Lincoln started the war, see H. W. Johnstone's book, The Truth of the War Conspiracy of 1861." Well, I had never even seen that book before in my life, and I figured, well, the book's out of print. I'll probably never get to see it, but I'd really like to read what H. W. Johnstone said in proving the conspiracy of the war of 1861. So I went down to our local library, and I asked if the book was in the library, which I was pretty sure it was not, and it wasn't. And so I asked the librarian, I said, "Well, would you be kind enough to put this through the interlibrary loan and see if that book can be found anywhere, because I would like to read the book." She said, "Most definitely." Well, so she put it through the interlibrary loan system, and a few days later I got a call, and it was on the machine, and it said, "Pastor Weaver, we have a book for you at the library."

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• Well, I'd also asked them to get another book for me as well, so I did not know which one they had for me. And so when I got up to the library, lo and behold, she hands me a photostatic copy of this book, and she said, "That'll be two bucks." She said, "This is—evidently the book was in such poor shape, you know, they didn't want to send it, so they just photocopied the book for you." And I said, "I'd be more than happy to pay the two bucks." And to my delightful and uplifting surprise, it was H. W. Johnstone's book, The Truth of the War Conspiracy of 1861. Now, the book was copyrighted in 1921. He actually wrote the book in 1917.

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• I read the book on the way to Tennessee, and began to try to master some of the material that was in it. And let me just tell you a few things before we get started today. H. W. Johnstone was a Confederate veteran, and from May of 1861 to January of 1862, he served as the Fifth Georgia Volunteer to the Confederate States of America at Pensacola, Florida. And, by the way, he is from Idlewild, Georgia, wherever that is. I don't know. I suppose it's North Georgia. It's up in the mountains.

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• I haven't had time to look it up. But he was at Pensacola, Florida.

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• Now, about July the 1st, 1861, H. W. Johnstone was in an expedition led by his colonel, John J. Jackson, that attacked some Federal troops. It was Billy Wilson's Zouaves out of Boston, and the attack was on Santa Rosa Island there around Pensacola.

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• Now, the Federals were routed, their camps were burned, their stores were destroyed, and the Federals escaped and got back into Fort Pickens, but the Confederate captain of that expedition, F. W. Magnum, captured the commanding officer of those Federal troops, who was Major Vogdes, V-O-G-D-E-S. And so, Johnstone then was involved in this little expedition when this little battle took place. Well, it was twenty years later H. W. Johnstone met at that time General Vogdes at Fort Adams, Rhode Island, and they were discussing the incident of how this battle occurred, and Vogdes and his men, of course, were defeated and Vogdes was captured. And in his remarks to Johnstone at that particular time, General Vogdes stated that he had already reinforced Fort Pickens before Fort Sumter was attacked. And the only reason the war did not start in Florida was because the furor and the clamor over Fort Sumter drowned out what he had done. Well, H. W. Johnstone, at that particular time, set out to find out the truth and the accuracy of Vogdes' statement, and he began to try to document it going through the official records.

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• And it is absolutely amazing what he came up with. Now, I want you to remember that Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated on March the 4th, 1861. March the 4th. That was before we had it changed, all right? March the 4th, 1861. And here is one statement that he made in his inaugural address to the seceding states. Listen to what he said, quote, "In your hands, my dissatisfied countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.

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• The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors." So, in his inaugural address, Lincoln said, "The government's not going to attack you. And the only way we're going to have a war is if you, the Southern folks, are the aggressors."

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• Now let me remind you of a biblical principle. I want you to turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 7. And I want you to make sure that you understand this principle. And the principle is this: You do not judge someone simply by what they say, but by what they do as well. So if you look at Matthew chapter 7, beginning there with verse 15, our Lord gives us this warning.

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• He says, "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." So someone may speak as a sheep, but when he acts as a wolf, you know in reality he is a wolf. Note, if you would, verse 16. Our Lord says, "You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns? No. Or figs from thistles? No. Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit," watch, "but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." Note verse 20, "Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."

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• So you've got to learn, I don't care if we're talking about someone in the past or if we're talking about someone in the present, we've got to learn to judge people by their actions and not just by their words. If I, for instance, told you that I believe in sobriety, that I believe in being sober, and yet you saw me tomorrow stumbling down Main Street drunk as a skunk, what would you think? Well, he doesn't really believe in sobriety because my actions demonstrate that I believe something entirely different.

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• Now, the truth of the matter is, it was Lincoln and his government that committed acts of war, listen to me, weeks before Fort Sumter was ever fired upon. Lincoln had given his secret orders, and had those orders been obeyed, had those orders not been resisted just momentarily, the war would have never begun at Fort Sumter. It would have begun at Fort Pickens off Pensacola, Florida.

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• Now, I want you to remember something. I gave you this information last week, but I want to call it to your attention again. I want you to remember that there was a solemn agreement. There was an armistice that existed between South Carolina and the United States government. That armistice had been entered into on December 6, 1860. There was also a solemn armistice that had been entered into between Florida and the United States government, and that armistice had been entered into on January 29, 1861. Now, in this armistice, the United States government agreed not to try to re-fortify or reinforce Fort Sumter or Fort Pickens. And the Confederate states or the seceding states agreed that they would not attack either one of these forts as long as they were not being reinforced or resupplied. Now, I want you to remember this as well. I mentioned it last week, that to violate an armistice is not only an act of treachery, it is an act of war. Now, last week we saw how Lincoln violated the armistice with South Carolina.

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• I also want you to note this week that he violated the armistice with Florida. Now let me ask a simple question. Here it is. Did Abraham Lincoln want war? Yes, is the answer. Did Abraham Lincoln start the war? And the answer is yes. You see, Abraham Lincoln committed an act of war eight days after his inauguration. He was inaugurated on March the 4th, 1861. And eight days later, on March the 12th, Abraham Lincoln committed an act of war. Now, I want to call your attention to the fact that I had just mentioned March the 12th, 1861. I want you to remember that date. It's important because we're going to come back to it in just a moment. Now, how can I say that Abraham Lincoln committed an act of war on March the 12th, 1861?

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• Now, let me tell you where Captain Vogdes was. He was off the warship USS Brooklyn, and he was sent to reinforce Fort Pickens off Pensacola, Florida in January of 1861. But all of a sudden now, the armistice between Florida and the United States had been entered into on January the 29th. And that armistice literally stopped Vogdes from resupplying and re-fortifying Fort Pickens. Now, he was already in the Pensacola area.

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• He just simply did not proceed with his mission. Now, since he was already there, okay, the armistice has stopped him. When Lincoln came into office on March the 4th, and Lincoln found out that Vogdes of the USS Brooklyn was off the Pensacola coast, Lincoln gave orders to violate the armistice, to reinforce Fort Pickens, and basically to inaugurate the war. You say, "How can you tell me that?" Well, here is the order from the headquarters of the Army, Washington, March the 12th, 1861. It is to Captain I. Vogdes of the ship of war Brooklyn off Fort Pickens, Pensacola, Florida, and here is what the order says. "Sir, at the first favorable opportunity, you will land your company, reinforce Fort Pickens, and hold the same till further orders. By command of Lieutenant General Scott. E. D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant General." And this order was sent by the U.S.S. Crusader and received by Captain Vogdes off Pensacola, Florida, March 31, 1861. So what has Lincoln done now? Lincoln has had his general, Winfield Scott, say, "Look, you go ahead and take Fort Pickens.

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• You land your troops. You re-fortify it and you hold it."

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• Now, the order was received. On March 31st, 1861, the next morning, on April 1st, Captain Vogdes sent to Captain H. A. Adams this note. Here's what it said. Evidently, Adams was already at Fort Pickens. Quote, "Sir, herewith I send you a copy of an order received by me last night. You will see that I am directed to land my command at the earliest opportunity. I have, therefore, to request that you will place at my disposal such boats and other means as will enable me to carry into effect the imposed order. Captain I. Vogdes, commanding." Now, so, Vogdes has gotten the order from Washington, "You land your troops." So Captain Vogdes, being on the ship of war, tells Captain Adams, "Send me the boats. Here's my order, I've got to land my troops." Here's Captain Adams' response, and by the way, Captain Adams averted and delayed war at least for 12 more days or 11 more days because Captain Adams refused to obey that order. Captain Adams, when he saw that order, refused to obey it and wrote the Secretary of the Navy and here's what he said in his report.

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• Quote, "It would be considered not only a declaration but an act of war and would be resisted to the utmost." Now listen to what he's saying. "Both sides are faithfully observing the armistice entered into by the United States government and Mr. Mallory of Florida and Colonel Chase, which binds us not to reinforce Fort Pickens unless it shall be attacked or threatened. It binds them not to attack it unless we should attempt to reinforce it." So, upon this report from Captain Adams, who said, "I'm not going to do this, this is an act of war,"

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• the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, wrote him back April the 6th and said this, and by the way, this order is marked confidential. Here's his dispatch. He says, "Sir, your dispatch of April the 1st is received. The Department regrets that you did not comply with the requests of Captain Vogdes. You will immediately, on the first favorable opportunity, at the receipt of this order, afford every facility to Captain Vogdes to enable him to land the troops under his command, it being the wish and the intention of the Navy Department to cooperate with the War Department in this object. Signed Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, to Captain H. A.

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• Adams, Commanding Naval Forces off Pensacola." Now, did you hear what I just read? Captain Adams is the only one who had any decency about him, and he said, "Look, this is an act of war. This is a violation of the armistice." Now, when Gideon Welles sent this dispatch to Captain Adams telling him that he would, under all circumstances, cooperate with Captain Vogdes, he sent it by Lieutenant J. L. Worden. Now, J. L. Worden went by rail through Richmond and Augusta and Atlanta, right on down, and when Lieutenant Worden got near Atlanta, for some reason he became extremely alarmed, and he opened the dispatches that he was carrying to Captain Adams, and he read them and committed them to memory and then destroyed them because he realized that he might get captured, and we should understand what he just did was indeed an act of a spy. Now, when Lieutenant Worden arrived in Pensacola about midnight on April the 10th, he went to General Braxton Bragg, who, of course, was a Southern soldier, and he told General Bragg that he had a verbal message of a pacific or a peaceful nature for Captain Adams, and he wanted to enter

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• into the fort and relay it to Captain Adams. Well, General Bragg, of course, once he had been assured that the message was for peaceful purposes, allowed Lieutenant Worden to go in and deliver his message to Adams. Now, the interesting thing is this, when Worden came out, and instead of reporting back to General Bragg, he just simply left and headed back up north. Well, General Bragg became very suspicious since Lieutenant Worden did not report to him after he returned, and he sent someone to capture Lieutenant Worden, and he was captured at Montgomery, Alabama, and brought back. Now, the interesting thing is that Worden then made a statement to L. P.

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• Walker, who was the Confederate Secretary of War, and he literally lied to keep himself from being understood and received as a spy. In fact, he was just detained for a little while as a prisoner of war. On April the 14th, General Bragg reported, of course, his experience. In September of 1865, Lieutenant Worden reported to the Secretary and to the United States Navy Department and says that he literally lied and he gave the account of what happened. Now, listen to this. Captain Adams, after he received this information, reportedly landed Captain Vogdes and his men on April the 12th.

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• Now, that's the same day that Fort Sumter was fired upon, okay? But Captain Vogdes was impatient, and he landed some of his men, according to his own report, on April the 11th around 9 p.m., the night of April 11th. Here's exactly what he says. "April the 11th at 9 p.m., the Brooklyn got underway and stood in toward the harbor, and during the night landed troops and Marines on board to reinforce Fort Pickens." Now, that is from the official log of the ship of war, the USS Brooklyn. So, Captain Vogdes, now, has committed an act of war by landing those troops. He committed an act of war by landing more troops on April the 12th. Abraham Lincoln committed an act of war on March the 12th. Why?

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• Because, listen to me, I want you to understand, the instant that an order is issued, then the whole force and power of the government is behind it. So for all intents and purposes, the war was inaugurated on March the 12th when Abraham Lincoln said, "You reinforce and you re-fortify Fort Pickens." So it was the intent of Lincoln all along to use force to subjugate the South. Now, I told you a while ago that it was important that you remember that Lincoln issued this order on March the 12th, 1861. I'm sure you don't remember this from last week, but I told you this. It was on March the 12th, 1861, that Postmaster General Montgomery Blair telegraphed his kinsman G. V. Fox to come to Washington and tell of his plans to reinforce Fort Sumter. Now, remember, on March the 12th, Lincoln has already said, "Re-fortify Fort Pickens." On March the 12th, he's now getting plans from G. V. Fox to re-fortify Fort Sumter. It was February the 25th, 1861, that the peace commissioners had been chosen and authorized and sent to Washington so that they could work out any detail or any problem between the seceded states and the United States government.

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• Now, remember I told you March the 12th was important? You remember how these peace commissioners had been lied to, they had been deceived, they had been delayed? It was on March the 12th that the peace commissioners were so grieved and so upset that they sent another letter to Secretary of State William Seward and pressed him for a meeting and for recognition, "Let's sit down and get the show on the road."

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• They said, "We want a conference, we want to work things out." On March the 15th, Seward answered, and he said this, "Sumter will be evacuated within ten days, and there is no intent to reinforce Fort Sumter." This assurance was repeated on March the 20th, 1861, and Seward also assured Judge Campbell, who was a Supreme Court Justice, and he said this, "As to Fort Pickens, he, that is, Judge Campbell, should have notice of any design to alter the existing status there." So, on March 12th, Lincoln already said, "Re-fortify Fort Pickens." On March 12th, he was already making plans to re-fortify Fort Sumter. On March 12th, the Peace Commission said, "Are we going to have peace or not? Let's get together."

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• And Seward writes back and says, "Well, don't worry about it. The fort will be evacuated within ten days."

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• Now, there are two things I want you to see. The first one is this: The South was using every means at its disposal to resolve things in a peaceful way. The second thing is this: It was Lincoln and the United States government that were deceiving not only the peace commissioners, but the people of the South, and as I shall point out a little bit later, they were even deceiving the Congress of the United States. And it was Lincoln who was inaugurating the war. Now listen to this.

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• On March the 15th, this is the same day now, that Seward, Secretary of State Seward, has said that Sumter will be evacuated within ten days. On March the 15th, Senator Stephen A. Douglas, who had the nickname of the "Little Giant," and by the way, there's some very humorous things about Stephen A. Douglas. You remember Stephen A. Douglas was debating Abraham Lincoln. And Lincoln, of course, the tall, lanky man, and Stephen Douglas is short. And Douglas was getting the best of Lincoln. And Lincoln got upset and he said, "I ought to just reach down and gobble you up right now, you're so small." Douglas said, "Bless God, if you did, you'd have more brains in your stomach than you got in your head." This was no wimp, that's for sure, all right?

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• So here is what he said. Now listen, this is what he introduced in the United States Senate. Here is his resolution, quote, "to withdraw all U.S. forces from the forts in the seceded states except at Key West and Tortugas, which were international in their scope." And at the same time, he made a strong plea for peace and justice, and he clearly limited the President's powers. So, Stephen Douglas has introduced a resolution on March the 15th into the Senate to withdraw all U.S. forces from these seceded state forts, okay? Also, Senators Clingman and Breckinridge introduced like resolutions. Congress adjourned March the 28th without ever acting on any of these resolutions.

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• Now let me ask you a question. Do you honestly believe that the Congress of the United States would have adjourned if they had known of the treachery and the deceit and the plans of Abraham Lincoln? No. Here are three Congressmen that have already introduced resolutions to withdraw all U.S. troops from the forts in the seceding states.

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• Now, I want to call your attention to one other thing. I gave you this quote last week. It was Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, alone in Lincoln's cabinet, that agreed that they were going to take those forts and hold them. Everyone else, even Lieutenant General Scott, was for letting the South have the forts. Now, Montgomery Blair was a West Point graduate. He was an ex-Army officer. He had left the Army to take up a law practice, and he was also the counsel for Dred Scott in that noted case before the Supreme Court. And so Montgomery Blair was urging Lincoln toward war.

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• Now on March the 28th, the Senate adjourned. On March the 29th, the very next day, here is a letter from Lincoln. "Executive Mansion, March the 29th, 1861. I desire that an expedition to move by sea got ready to sail as early as the 6th of April next. The whole, according to the memorandum attached, and that you cooperate with the Secretary of War for that object. Your obedient servant, signed Abraham Lincoln," and it was to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, and the memorandum attached called for three ships of war, the Pocahontas, the Pawnee, the Harriet Lane, and 300 seamen with one-month stores, and from the War Department, 200 men ready to leave the garrison with one year's store. Now, this is where Lincoln was getting ready to send these ships to Fort Sumter, and, of course, everything was marked private.

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• Now, remember now, the G. V. Fox expedition was going to Fort Sumter. Now listen, though Vogdes and his expedition were already at Fort Pickens, Lincoln has already sent now another officer, Brown, to go toward Fort Pickens. Here is the order. And by the way, I want you to listen to this. Remember General Winfield Scott did not want war. Winfield Scott had advised Lincoln to withdraw the troops from Sumter and Pickens. Now, I want you to listen to this. "Headquarters of the Army, Washington, April 1, 1861," and this is General Winfield Scott writing to Colonel Harvey Brown. Here's what he said. "Sir, you have been designated to take command of an expedition to reinforce and to hold Fort Pickens in the harbor of Pensacola.

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• You will proceed to New York where steam transportation for four companies will be engaged, and putting on board such supplies as you can ship without delay, proceed at once to your destination. The object and destination of this expedition will be communicated to no one to whom it is not already known. Signed, General Winfield Scott, and signed, Abraham Lincoln." So Vogdes is already there. Fox is on his way to Fort Sumter. And now, Colonel Brown is to head toward Fort Pickens.

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• What in the world is he doing? Lincoln, to ensure that his order was obeyed, issued this special enclosure. "Executive Mansion, Washington, April 1st, 1861. All officers of the Army and Navy to whom this order may be exhibited, will aid by every means in their power the expedition under the command of Colonel Brown, supply him with men and material, and cooperate with him as he may desire. Signed, Abraham Lincoln." Now, this was on April 1st. It was on April 1st, 1861, that Secretary of State Seward assured Judge Campbell that there was no design to reinforce Sumter or to change the status at Fort Pickens.

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• Three expeditions had already been sent. The Fox expedition had been sent. The Brown expedition had been sent. And Vogdes was already there. And he says there's no change? There was a fourth expedition. This expedition was sent out under Lieutenant D. D. Porter. For this expedition, Lincoln selected Lieutenant Porter and ordered him to take the fastest ship in the Atlantic squadron. Listen to this order. "Executive Mansion, Washington, April 1st, 1861.

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• Sir, you will proceed to New York and with the least possible delay assume command of any steamer available. Proceed to Pensacola Harbor, listen, and at any cost or risk, prevent any expedition from the mainland from reaching Fort Pickens or Santa Rosa. You will exhibit this order to any naval officer at Pensacola, if you deem it necessary, after you have established yourself within the harbor. This order, its object, and your destination will be communicated to no person whatever, until you reach the harbor of Pensacola. Signed, Abraham Lincoln." Signed, William H. Seward.

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• Ah, so we found out the Secretary of State has been lying and deceiving the peace commissioners and two Supreme Court justices during the whole time. Because on April 1st, he signed the order with Abraham Lincoln to Lieutenant Porter to take the fastest ship and enter into the harbor at Pensacola. On the same day, Lincoln sent the following telegram. "Washington, April 1st, 1861. Get out the Powhatan to go to sea at the earliest possible moment under sealed orders. Orders by a confidential messenger go forward tomorrow. Signed, Abraham Lincoln to the Commandant of the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York."

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• And then he goes on. Here's another one. "April 1st, 1861, Executive Mansion. You will fit out the Powhatan without delay. Lieutenant Porter will relieve Captain Mercer in command of her. She is bound on secret service. And you will under no circumstance communicate to the Navy Department the fact that she is fitting out. Signed Abraham Lincoln to the commandant of the Navy Yard, New York." Now what is Lincoln doing? Lincoln is not even letting the Navy Department know what he's doing. So he sends the letter to the Commandant of the Navy Yard and says, "You fit out the Powhatan. Don't let the Department of the Navy know what's going on." On the same day now, Gideon Welles, who was Secretary of the Navy, who was ignorant of Lincoln's deceit and his plans, on the same day, the Secretary of the Navy ordered that the Powhatan be added to the Fox expedition to go to Fort Sumter. Listen to what he says. "April 1st, 1861, Washington. Send out Powhatan to go to sea as early as possible moment.

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• Signed Gideon Welles, Secretary of Navy." On the 5th, the Secretary of Navy issued this order to Captain Mercer. He was still ignorant of what Lincoln was doing, and it's marked confidential. "Navy Department, April 5, 1861. The U.S. Steamers Powhatan, Pawnee, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane will compose a naval force under your command to be sent to the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina for the purpose of aiding and carrying out the object of an expedition of which the War Department has charge. The expedition has been instructed or entrusted to Captain G. V.

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• Fox. He will leave New York with the Powhatan in time to be off Charleston Bar, ten miles distance from and due east of the lighthouse on the morning of the eleventh instant. There to await the arrival of the transport with troops and stores, the Pawnee and Pocahontas will be ordered to join you there at the time mentioned and also the Harriet Lane. Signed Gideon Welles." Now, remember Seward and Lincoln have already said that Lieutenant Porter is to have the Powhatan.

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• And the commandant of the Navy Yard is not to let the Department of the Navy know what's going on. Well, on April the 6th, Lieutenant Porter took the Powhatan and sailed under Lincoln's orders. Evidently, Secretary of State Seward kind of chickened out, because when he realized the Secretary of the Navy had asked for the Powhatan to be given to the Fox expedition, he sent a telegram and he said, "Give the Powhatan up to Captain Mercer. Clarence Seward," and he sent it to Lieutenant D. D. Porter. So, Porter now is supposed to give the Powhatan up to Captain Mercer so he can take it down to Fort Sumter. But Porter had already sailed, and so a fast boat was sent to overtake Lieutenant Porter. On April the 6th, here is Lieutenant Porter's answer to William Seward, Secretary of State. Quote, "I received my orders from the President and shall proceed to execute them." Signed, Lieutenant Porter. What did he just tell Secretary of State? "Kiss my foot. I'm not going to take orders from you. I've got my orders from the President.

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• I'm going to do exactly what he tells me to do." You know what delayed Porter? Once again, it was storms and defective boilers. He did not reach Pensacola at the expected time, and when he did arrive in Pensacola, listen, he had disguised the ship and was flying an English flag. Here is his report. "I had disguised the ship so that she deceived those who had known her, and was standing in, that is, unnoticed, when the line of battle ship commenced making signals." That was a Confederate ship.

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• "...which I did not answer, but stood on." In other words, I kept going my course into Pensacola Harbor. "...the steamer then put herself in my way, and Captain Meigs, who was aboard, hailed me, and I stopped. In twenty minutes more, I should have been inside Pensacola Harbor or sunk." Lieutenant D. D. Porter. Now, let me put it to you like this, folks. Had there not been a Fort Sumter, had Fort Sumter never been fired on, there would have been a war. It would have started in Pensacola at Fort Pickens because Lincoln was dead set on having this war.

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• Let me give you something interesting. Congress had adjourned on March the 28th. Lincoln never convened Congress until July the 4th, 1861, months after he had inaugurated the war. You know what that dirty rotten scoundrel did on July the 10th? On July the 10th, Lincoln had put before Congress a joint resolution to legalize his unconstitutional acts. Here is what the first part of it says. Listen carefully now. "Whereas, since the adjournment of Congress on the fourth day of March last, a formidable insurrection in certain states of this Union had arrayed itself in armed hostility to the government of the United States constitutionally administered." Constitutionally administered? He's saying that there has been an armed hostility against the government of the United States that was constitutionally administered. There was no unconstitutional armed hostility against the United States. The only armed hostility was the unconstitutional acts perpetrated by Lincoln against the South. Now, the avowed purpose of this resolution was to legalize the unconstitutional acts of Abraham Lincoln. The joint resolution, and if I get the opportunity, I want to give you some more of these, not today, but later on.

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• The joint resolution names at least six unconstitutional acts that Lincoln committed. And what he wants the Senate to do is to legalize them. Here are, by his own confessions now, in this joint resolution, here is what he wants Congress to legalize. The joint resolution names the following six unconstitutional acts as confessed by Lincoln. One, he calls for 75,000 men, April 15, 1861, which was unconstitutional. Only Congress can declare war. He proclaims a blockade of Southern ports, April 19, 1861. He proclaims a second blockade, April 27, 1861. He authorizes a military officer to suspend habeas corpus in Maryland and Pennsylvania, April 27, 1861. He calls for an additional 35,000 volunteers, May 3, 1861. He authorizes a military officer to suspend habeas corpus in Florida, May 10, 1861.

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• And he admits to these things.

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• And what he wants the Senate to do is to legalize them, and here is the enabling clause of the joint resolution. Listen carefully now. "Be it resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled that all the extraordinary proclamations and orders herein before mentioned be and the same are hereby approved and declared to be in all respects legal and valid to the same and with the same effect as if they had been issued and done under the previous express authority and direction of the Congress of the United States." Do you realize that the enabling clause of that resolution forces the Congress to confess and admit that everything that Lincoln had done was unconstitutional, that it was illegal, that it was wrong, that it was wicked?

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• I'm glad you're sitting down. Because here's the fact, Congress never approved that joint resolution, even today. And everything that Lincoln did stands condemned as unconstitutional and wicked. I know I made some applications last week, but listen carefully. Here is the history of deception at its highest level. I've read books in times past, and many of you have. If you and I really knew the wars that were going on within our own government.

  #52 | 44:03 to 45:15 | cleaned

• FBI fighting CIA, CIA fighting the FBI, ATF fighting FBI. You would be amazed. Even in the power structure, there is deception among those who are there fighting for more power. And here is the history of it. Here's where it began. Lincoln, with his deceptive acts, set the stage for deception down through history. Here, in Lincoln's administration, is the abuse and misuse of power and office. And we've had it ever since Abraham Lincoln. Are you listening?

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• Here is how presidents evade Congress and the Constitution. Can't get it through Congress? I'll issue an executive order. Can't get it constitutionally? I'll do it anyway. It's where the citizens of the United States learn to distrust and despise their elected officials and their own government. You've seen those t-shirts that have the slogan, "I love my country, but I fear or I distrust my elected officials." And it all began with Abraham Lincoln.

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• God said, "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." And "by their fruits you shall know them." And the fruits of Abraham Lincoln is he is and was an unconstitutional, power-mad tyrant who is responsible for the deaths of over a half million men. Not only will history hold him accountable, but God will hold him accountable as well. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your blessing and your help today. We pray, Lord, that you would indeed enable us to see the truth of John 8 and verse 32. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." May we understand, Father, the importance of truth in every area of our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

  #55 | 47:20 to 48:39 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T14:40:01Z