He was assassinated just after Lee’s surrender, which is not quite the same thing. And if there’s a reference besides you for this quote:
“I am President of the United States. I have full overall power and never forget it, because I will exercise it.”
…I have yet to find it. Source?
Moe Lane
PS: Like Hot Air, I agree: stop smoking crack on the upcoming military dictatorship thing, Gore Vidal. You too, John Perry.
PPS: Seriously, I can’t find it at all.
Crossposted to RedState.
It IS entirely possible. If he goes far enough, the Military is charged by the oath of Enlistment and (I can’t think of the name of the Officers’ oath) to protect the Constitution.
This, however, means that the “military dictatorship” will last a day or 2 at most.
The quote sounds too blunt for any statesman in the 19th century. . . . but it’s very close in meaning to CONFEDERATE President Jefferson Davis’ response to Georga Governor Lecter when the latter objected to the draft. Lechter was afraid that the central government would simply draft all of its political opponents and either send them off to be killed or post them far away where they couldn’t interfere anymore.
Sorry, I can’t produce the actual quote, but it’s found in Bruce Catton’s “A Stillness at Appomatox”