Posted on 02/05/2005 6:30:51 PM PST by quidnunc
The key to understanding Lincoln's Philosophy of Statesmanship is that he always sought the meeting point between what was right in theory and what could be achieved in practice.
Most Americans — including most historians — regard Abraham Lincoln as the nation's greatest president. But in recent years powerful movements have gathered, both on the political right and the left, to condemn Lincoln as a flawed and even wicked man.
For both camps, the debunking of Lincoln usually begins with an exposé of the "Lincoln myth," which is well described in William Lee Miller's 2002 book Lincoln's Virtues: An Ethical Biography. How odd it is, Miller writes, that an "unschooled" politician "from the raw frontier villages of Illinois and Indiana" could become such a great president. "He was the myth made real," Miller writes, "rising from an actual Kentucky cabin made of actual Kentucky logs all the way to the actual White House."
Lincoln's critics have done us all a service by showing that the actual author of the myth is Abraham Lincoln himself. It was Lincoln who, over the years, carefully crafted the public image of himself as Log Cabin Lincoln, Honest Abe and the rest of it. Asked to describe his early life, Lincoln answered, "the short and simple annals of the poor," referring to Thomas Gray's poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." Lincoln disclaimed great aspirations for himself, noting that if people did not vote for him, he would return to obscurity, for he was, after all, used to disappointments.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at historynet.com ...
It was an ugly episode but it seems Lincoln handled it about as well as possible under the circumstances.
Funny how it was brought up by a person spouting the neo-confederate line. I'd only assume they never heard about the Denmak Vassey "conspiracy" where around 30 or so blacks, slave and free, were hung in Charleston after a supposed "plan" for a revolt was uncovered. No whites were harmed in any way, and many historians think the supposed plot never existed in the first place, but the blacks were promptly hung just in case.
More than 500 Americans died. 60 Dakota Souix died in the fighting that lasted 37 days.
Yes, it was probably our biggest indian uprising.
-- But the the fact remains, it is hyped up BS that:
"Within a week almost every farm cabin and settlment in southern Minnesota was wiped out and most inhabitants murdered with devilish barbarities. --
" I'd say that 500 if a goodly bit from a few dozen as well.
Yep, 400 confirmed deaths in all of Minnesota [ best count by Satterlee, a historian of the day] is still a goodly bit.
But the 'southern wipe out' is BS.
That's fair. But don't minimize what it was either. I sure as hell wouldn't have wanted to be some woman with a couple of kids out on an isolated farm while the husband was off with the Union Army in Virginia. It was a tramatic time for those people.
Rifleman:
--- various hotheads on both sides destroyed the Republic and impoverished half the nation for decades.
41 Rman
That's fair. But don't minimize what it was either.
I didn't.
I sure as hell wouldn't have wanted to be some woman with a couple of kids out on an isolated farm while the husband was off with the Union Army in Virginia. It was a tramatic time for those people.
Gee, no kidding? Who would have figured if you hadn't mentioned it.. Got any other pearls of wisdom for us all?
You are so full of manure, it is ridiculous.
You Lincoln-Worshippers just can't stand the fact that we bring up FACTS about your God, Abe.
Some of us were and still are. Here's excerpts from the history of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate Tennessee. Note the presence of the Confederate veteran Robert F. Patterson on the first board of directors in 1897. Mr. Patterson obviously did not see that participation in a project honoring Lincoln violated his respect for the values he fought for.
Lincoln Memorial University grew out of love and respect for Abraham Lincoln and today honors his name, values, and spirit. As the legend goes, in 1863 Lincoln suggested to General O. O. Howard, a Union officer, that when the Civil War ended he hoped General Howard would organize a great university for the people of this area.
Reverend A. A. Myers, a Congregationalist minister, came to the Cumberland Gap in 1888. He succeeded in opening the Harrow School, established for the purpose of providing elementary education to mountain youngsters. On a visit to the area to give a series of lectures at the Harrow School, General O. O. Howard remembered his commitment to fulfill Lincoln's request and he joined Reverend Myers, M. F. Overton, C. F. Eager, A. B. Kesterson, and M. Arthur in establishing Lincoln Memorial University. That group, along with Robert F. Patterson, a Confederate veteran, became a board of directors and purchased The Four Seasons property. In commemoration of Lincoln's birthday, the institution was chartered by the State of Tennessee on February 12, 1897, as Lincoln Memorial University.
The motto of Lincoln Memorial University is "We wear his name proudly".
No quotes. Just a suggestion. Much of the book consists of letters to parents and others from soldiers, north and south.
You style of logic and argumentation would fit in better over at DU.
No, I don't think Lincoln was God. But he was a pretty damn fine President who did his best in an impossible situation. And I can only think that the neo-rebs like yourself are not so different than the radical lefties who spout the same nonsense about Lincoln --- that is primarily America haters who will distort anything to fit their twisted world view.
Enjoy your fantasy world.
It's understandable why some people might have it in for Lincoln. He's been built up into an icon, rather than a man. Considering that the country was caught up in a Civil War it's natural the some would blame Lincoln or object to the veneration many have had for him.
But judge the critics by as severe a standard as they judge what they take to be the "official story," and not much is left of many of their arguments. Bradford's version of Lincoln is as far from the reality as anything that he objected to. It's something people tend to accept for emotional reasons more than other grounds. Tear down the icon and you still have a remarkable statesman who's worth learing about, not the one dimensional schemer of neo-Confederate propaganda.
As did one of his other books, "For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War". I imagine the two are a continuation of each other.
I know that there is respect for him in certain quarters even in the deep South as we do not all walk in lock step. It reminds me of when the postwar Mosby worked for the Republican Party in Virginia raising many eyebrows. I respect too the Northerners who invested private capital in the South in an effort to rebuild the area. Booker T. Washington said that his early benefactor, General Armstrong never said a negative word about the South or Southerners.
But Captain Kangaroo, didn't Mr. Greenjeans get busted for growing marijuana in the magic garden?
Try this for Glenn. [some typos corrected]
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA, Baltimore, Md., September 28, 1861.
Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
SIR: On the 19th instant you referred* to me the case of W. Wilkins Glenn, proprietor of the late Exchange newspaper in this city, with the letters* of Hon. M. Blair, Hon. Reverdy Johnson and H. W. Davis in favor of his release. Mr. Glenn's connection with the paper was purely financial. But after the arrest of Messrs. Wallis and Howard, the principal writers for its editorial columns, two very bad articles appeared - one misrepresenting the arrest made by the Government and the other setting it at defiance - and I directed Mr. Glenn to be taken into custody as the only responsible person who could be reached. The Exchange has been discontinued and Mr. Glenn who is at Fort McHenry is sincere in his desire that it should not be revived as long as Messrs. Wallis and Howard are under arrest. A newspaper has taken its place without editorials but Mr. Glenn has no responsibility in regard to it. He has given repeated evidences of his earnest wish not to embarrass the Government in any way, and if released will I have no doubt occupy himself exclusively with the business of the large state which is in his charge.
Under all the circumstances I answer the query in your note indorsed on the papers referred to me: That it is expedient to release him on condition of his taking the oath of allegiance excluding all reservations and conditions.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. DIX,
Major-General, Commanding.
Glenn refused to take the oath of allegiance.
Lincoln's rail speeches on the way to the Whitehouse were uneventful and sometimes downright awful - even the GOP wondered if they had selected the right man.
He continually avoided the question of secession and war, basically stating if tempers were calmed, this problem would blow over. He greatly underestimated the Southern politicians.
Lincoln had no pulse on the people of the Republic, disregarded Southern politicians, and made deadly mistakes at Sumter by going against his own cabinet's recommendations.
A statesman is concerned with future Generations and a "POLITICIAN" is only concerned with the next election. We have too many people ascribed "Statesman" in our "Republic" who are not worthy but are viewed favorably by ignorant masses of humanity who won't wait for history to evaluate them on the merrits of the "potential character involved". A number of years must pass to fully evaluate decisions, policies, and eventual outcomes. "Statesmen" are never self promoting-egotistical-populist bores; the people ultimately make that decision.
I can understand the disdain Southerners have for Yankees that truly seemed to hate the South like Ben Wade and Thaddeus Stevens. But Lincoln with his malice toward none and his lenient views on the post war period, was no hater of the South. At worst, I can't see how one could consider him any less than a good man with mistaken views in a turbulent age.
But Captain Kangaroo, didn't Mr. Greenjeans get busted for growing marijuana in the magic garden?
I'm a colonel, not a captain. I have no association with the wild Yankee branch of the Kangaroos.
Excuse me, Brainless:
One can still love this country, without loving Abe Lincoln or his tyranny. One can even love this country, and still love his homeland or state MORE!
One can still love this country, without loving Abe Lincoln ---
One can even love this country, and still love his homeland or state MORE!
158 tex
i've called you on this before at least ten times.
face it, what you posted is a LIE from the most extreme, south-HATING,REVISIONIST damnyankee apologists.
according to a dissertation done at FSU in the 1960s, 88% of dixie's households had GROSS ASSETS of less than $1000.oo including the land & all the improvements thereon.
the GREAT majority of southern households were TOO POOR to own slaves, even if they had wanted to own human flesh.
over 90% of dixie's grayclads had gross assets of $ 25.oo.
that is why the WBTS was ONLY about STATES RIGHTS, dixie LIBERTY & (for the north) damnyankeeland's lust to control EVERYTHING in the southland.
free dixie,sw
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