[achilles2000]

The Founders fought a War of Independence, a war of secession from the British Empire. Your claim regarding the Tories is quite debatable, but also beside the point. You are talking about a period before the Constitution by which the states had created a federal republic that was to be bound by certain rules. In fact, after the founding in the situation most analogous to part of the Lincoln dictatorship, the Federalists’ Alien & Sedition Act, was repudiated by most of the Founding generation, and its repeal was forced in 1802.

[Publius]

...and its repeal was forced in 1802.

Of the four acts in question, some are still on the books. Several lapsed, but none were repealed.

[BroJoeK]

achilles2000 to Sherman Logan (#358): "Your claim regarding the Tories is quite debatable, but also beside the point.
You are talking about a period before the Constitution by which the states had created a federal republic that was to be bound by certain rules."

In fact, Sherman Logan understated our Founders' rough treatment of Loyalists to Britain during the Revolutionary War.
By comparison, Lincoln's treatment of Confederates & Copperheads was relatively mild & legalistic.

"Bound by certain rules" -- in fact, the Constitution is clear in expecting & authorizing military & legal responses to "invasion", "rebellion", "insurrection", "domestic violence" and "treason" -- specifically defined as:

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." (Article 3 Section 3)

So: far from preventing Lincoln from defeating the military force which started & declared war on the United States, our Constitution expects & requires it.