The provision of the Constitution giving the war-making power to Congress, was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing [making poor] their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This, our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us." ~Abraham Lincoln, Letter to William Herndon, February 15, 1848.

According to the excerpt, which branch of government has the power to declare war?

A. the legislative branch
B. the executive branch
C. the judicial branch
D. all three branches