Posted on 10/13/2020 5:44:10 AM PDT by 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.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Who knew, that once upon a time, you could advertise cocaine in a major US Publication?
ML/NJ
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
NORTH SHORE, 14th October, 1860.
MY DEAR CHARLES, — I have been scribbling and scrabbling at such a rate that I have recently cut all my friends for my country. We are having a glorious fight. This State, I think, will astonish itself and the country by its majority. The significance of the result in Pennsylvania is, that the conscience and common sense of the country are fully aroused. The apostle of disunion spoke here last week, and, if there had been any doubt of New York before, there could have been none after he spake. Even Fletcher Harper, after hearing it, said to me, “I shall have hard work not to vote for Lincoln.”
I have been at work in my own county and district, and the other day I went to the convention to make sure that I was not nominated for Congress!
I have been writing a new lecture, “The Policy of Honesty,” and am going as far as Milwaukee in November. Here's a lot about myself, but we country philosophers grow dreadfully egotistical. I did cherish a sweet hope (it was like trying to raise figs in our open January!) that I should slip over and see you, and displace my photograph for a day or two, but I can only send the same old love as new as ever. The ball for little Renfrew1 was a failure, though I was one of the 400, — and his reception was the most imposing pageant, from the mass of human beings, that I ever saw.
1 The Prince of Wales.
SOURCE: Edward Cary, George William Curtis, p. 137-8
It must have been terribly boring for him in America, not being able to bolt to any of his hidey holes to enjoy his vices.
N Y
Westfield Chatauque Co
Oct 15. 1860
Hon A B Lincoln
Dear Sir,
My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin's. I am a little girl only eleven years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you wont think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are. Have you any little girls about as large as I am if so give them my love and tell her to write to me if you cannot answer this letter. I have got 4 brother's and part of them will vote for you any way and if you will let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husband's to vote for you and then you would be President. My father is a going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you to but I will try and get every one to vote for you that I can I think that rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can be. When you direct your letter dir[e]ct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chatauque County New York
I must not write any more answer this letter right off
For Lincoln’s reply see:
Abraham Lincoln to Grace Bedell, October 19, 1860
SOURCE: Roy P. Basler, Editor, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 4, p. 130
Abe replied to the little girl. And grew out his whiskers! Awwww . . .
Continued from October 5 (reply #14).
With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame
PETERSBURG, VA., Oct. 17th, 1860.
MR. W. STILL: — Dear Sir — I am happy, to think, that the time has come when we no doubt can open our correspondence with one another again. Also I am in hopes, that these few lines may find you and family well and in the enjoyment of good health, as it leaves me and family the same. I want you to know, that I feel as much determined to work in this glorious cause, as ever I did in all of my life, and I have some very good hams on hand that I would like very much for you to have. I have nothing of interest to write about just now, only that the politics of the day is in a high rage, and I don't know of the result, therefore, I want you to be one of those wide a-wakes as is mentioned from your section of country now-a-days, &c. Also, if you wish to write to me, Mr. J. Brown will inform you how to direct a letter to me.
No more at present, until I hear from you; but I want you to be a wide-a-wake.
* Slave & Underground Railroad Agent
SOURCE: William Still, The Underground Railroad: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters &c., p. 41-2
Harrison & Taylor were the only two non-Democrats elected between 1800 and 1856 and both died in office, of natural causes, it's said.
Lincoln was the third non-Democrat, elected in 1860 and also died, murdered, in office.
So Ulysses S. Grant was the first non-Democrat elected since 1796 (John Adams) to survive his time in office, and the first since George Washington (1788 - 1796) to survive two terms in good health.
After Grant, Republicans Hayes, Arthur & Harrison survived single terms, but Garfield & McKinley were both assassinated, making the score, from 1800 to 1900, five non-Democrats died in office, only four survived and of them, only one, Grant, for two terms.
In the 20th century, Republicans Harding died in office and Eisenhower suffered a major heart attack, while both Teddy Roosevelt & Ronald Reagan survived assassination attempts.
If I remember right, both Democrat Presidents Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt also survived assassination attempts, but John F. Kennedy was the first & only Democrat murdered in office.
Arguably, all of those assassinated Presidents were murdered by radical leftists or Democrats, and even Kennedy, it's often said, would be happier today in the Republican party than in what Democrats have become since his death.
He was murdered, it seems, for being too anti-Communist.
So it has always been very dangerous to lead the political charge against Democrats -- the DC swamp is not only deep, but its Swamp Critters are deadly.
They are not nice, they don't play fair, for them politics is sometimes a blood sport.
If I’m not mistaken, in the 1840s federal election day was fixed by law on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but state elections were often held before that. You could tell from state returns in Maine (September), and then in Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana (October) how the parties were likely to do in November. It was something like opinion polling in an age when modern polling didn’t exist. So about this time in 1860, Americans may have had a good idea how the election was likely to go.
Democrats play to win— by means necessary. As a former liberal I’ve been telling conservatives for years to abandon civility. This isn’t a fair contest played according to Marquis of Queensburry Rules.
This is a knife fight in a phone booth and conservatives need to realize this.
RICHMOND, VA., Oct. 18th, 1860.
To MR. WILLIAM STILL: — Dear Sir — Please do me the favor as to write to my uncle a. few lines in regard to the bundle that is for John H. Hill, who lives in Hamilton, C. W. Sir, if this should reach you, be assured that it comes from the some poor individual that you have heard of before; the person who was so unlucky, and deceived also. If you write, address your letter John M. Hill, care of Box No. 250. I am speaking of a person who lives in P.va. I hope, sir, you will understand this is from a poor individual.
SOURCE: William Still, The Underground Railroad: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters &c., p. 43
Good morning Professor.
Back in 1860 there was a railroad that actually went underground for a mile of its transit in Richmond. The spur went downtown towards the capitol and the Kanahwa canal from Church Hill. (Near the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech).
Sometime during the war the tunnel collapsed and killed about 50 people.
5.56mm
Springfield, Ills.
Oct 19. 1860
Miss. Grace Bedell
My dear little Miss.
Your very agreeable letter of the 15th. is received.
I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters. I have three sons — one seventeen, one nine, and one seven, years of age. They, with their mother, constitute my whole family.
As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?
A. LINCOLN.
SOURCE: Roy P. Basler, Editor, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 4, p. 129
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Here are some notices about the Winter Garden presentation from today’s New York Times.
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