[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, Lincoln-Douglas, Harper’s Ferry, the election of 1860, secession – all the events leading up to the Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Union Candidates – 1-3
Editorials – 3-4
The Lounger – 4-5
Humors of the Day – 5-6
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church – 7-10
The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins, the Housekeeper’s Narrative concluded; the Narrative of Hester Pinhorn, Cook in the Service of Count Posco; the Narrative of the Doctor; the Narrative of Jane Gould; the Narrative of the Tombstone; the Narrative of Walter Hartright, Resumed – 10-14
Domestic Intelligence – 14-15
Foreign News – 15
The Republicans in Nominating Convention, in Their Wigwam at Chicago, May, 1860 – 16
Taken by Storm – 17-19
The Uncommercial Traveler, No. VIII, by Charles Dickens – 19-20
Our Japanese Visitors – 21-23
Captain Brand of the Schooner “Centipede,” by Lieut. Henry A. Wise, U.S.N. (Harry Gringo). Chapter XV – 22-25
Pleasing Proposal - 26

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 18 (reply #32).

David Herbert Donald, Lincoln

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 18 (reply #33).

1

2

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 12 (reply #3).

Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from 5/18 (reply #35).

The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

On this date Lincoln had his photograph taken in Springfield by William Marsh.

“Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, two days after he won his party's nomination.”

List of photographs of Abraham Lincoln

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Horace Greeley to James S. Pike, May 21, 1860

NEW YORK, May 21, 1861.

PIKE: Your Maine delegation was a poor affair; I thought you had been at work preparing it for the great struggle; yet I suspect you left all the work for me, as everybody seems to do. Massachusetts also was right in Weed's hands, contrary to all reasonable expectation. I cannot understand this. It was all we could do to hold Vermont by the most desperate exertions; and I at some times despaired of it. The rest of New England was pretty sound, but part of New Jersey was somehow inclined to sin against light and knowledge. If you had seen the Pennsylvania delegation, and known how much money Weed had in hand, you would not have believed we could do so well as we did. Give Curtin thanks for that. Ohio looked very bad, yet turned out well, and Virginia had been regularly sold out; but the seller couldn't deliver. “We had to rain red-hot bolts on them, however, to keep the majority from going for Seward, who got eight votes here as it was. Indiana was our right bower, and Missouri above praise. It was a fearful week, such as I hope and trust I shall never see repeated. I think your absence lost us several votes.

But the deed is done, and the country breathes more freely. We shall beat the enemy fifty thousand in this State — can't take off a single man. New England stands like a rock, and the North-west is all ablaze. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are our pieces de resistance, but we shall carry them. I am almost worn out.

Yours,

HORACE GREELEY.

JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., Somewhere.

SOURCE: James Shepherd Pike, First Blows of the Civil War: The Ten Years of Preliminary Conflict in the United States from 1850 to 1860, p. 519-20

civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today's posts will be delayed. Per photobucket:

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

While commanding a Union cavalry brigade, Charles Russell Lowell will be killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, some years from now.

Charles Russell Lowell to George Putnam, May 24, 1860

BURLINGTON, May 24, '60.

How does the Chicago platform and nomination please the Puritans, — it shows pluck, and that, in an American, generally argues strength. Deliberately I prefer Lincoln to Seward, especially since the latter's Capital and Labor speech, that shivered a little in the wind's eye. Lincoln is emphatic on the irrepressible conflict, without if or but. Had Greeley's pet, Bates, been successful, this State, at least, would have gone for Douglas. Since Douglas's last rally in the Senate, he stands in a Samson Antagonistic attitude, which is attractive to the Northwest.

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 187-8

civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com

[eyedigress]

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Horace Greeley to James S. Pike, May 25, 1860

NEW YORK, May 25, 1860.

PIKE, MY FRIEND: Do you see how the heathen rage? How the whole weight of their wrath is poured out on my head? Will you tell me why Maine behaved so much worse at Chicago than any New-England State but Massachusetts? What meant that infernal vote from Massachusetts against us? I thought some of you Eastern folks would look to this. Just write me one letter to let me know what all this means.

Yours,

HORACE GREELEY.

J. S. PIKE, Esq.

SOURCE: James Shepherd Pike, First Blows of the Civil War: The Ten Years of Preliminary Conflict in the United States from 1850 to 1860, p. 520

civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com