Spot Resolutions

What it is

This manuscript records the resolutions offered by Congressman Abraham Lincoln in the House of Representatives on 22 December 1847. It demanded that President Polk specify the exact 'spot' where American blood had been shed, as Polk had claimed when asking Congress to declare war on Mexico.

Why it matters

Lincoln's resolutions directly challenged Polk's stated grounds for war and reflected the political struggle between Whigs, like Lincoln, and Polk's Democrats. The House never acted on them, and they earned Lincoln some mockery as 'spotty Lincoln,' but they show how contested Polk's war justification was at the time.

Look closer

• Why might Lincoln have focused on one specific, factual question rather than a broad moral argument?
• What does the lack of action on these resolutions tell you about Congress's willingness to challenge a sitting president during wartime?
• How might Polk have responded if asked to answer these resolutions directly?