Lincoln abused his power by overstepping the constitutional boundaries. Lincoln did not abuse his power because he was justified in limiting civil liberties to save the Union.
According to my interpretation, Lincoln's action to suspend Habeas Corpus in 1863 clearly constitutes an abuse of power. Although this measure can be justified through the clear situation of danger represented by the Civil War, the truth is that the President suspended a constitutional guarantee and a right of all citizens without having the authority to do so, thereby taking that measure constituted an abuse of his power and political position, as determined by the Constitution.
