Grant was supposed to be with Lincoln that evening at Fords Theater, but he was sick. Major Henry Rathbone and his date escorted the President and First Lady.
The Major was stabbed and sliced by Booth as he made his way through the President’s box and leaped to the stage.
Reon
Grant did call in sick that night, but the real reason was that his wife thought Mary Todd Lincoln was a lunatic, which isn't far from the truth. Mrs. Grant could not stand to be in the company of Mrs. Lincoln.
And Mr. Lincoln did take many liberties with the Constitution, suspending Habeus Corpus, crushing the draft rebellion in NYC and the Emancipation Proclamation amongst other constitutional indiscretions. Where does it say in the Constitution that the President of the United States can issue "Proclamations", that then become the immediate law of the land? King Abe?
Was it morally justified? Of course. Was it a direct violation of the Constitution? Yes. Lincoln had no constitutional authority to free the slaves with the stroke of a pen. He was guilty of defending the constitution and interpreting the constitution as it suited his agenda. History has given him a pass because the outcome suited history and the victors.
