[DoodleDawg]

You cannot possibly be so naïve.

Not as naïve as you apparently.

Victors get to write the history. Lincoln had to be made into an intellectual giant surpassing Washington and Jefferson in greatness. We're all taught, us Yankees at least, from an early age to worship Lincoln. Your authors want to be liked to so they continue to heap praise upon the Great Leader. They include events that could be said to reflect well upon Lincoln and leave others out.

So let me see if I get this straight. Biographers like David Herbert Donald and Ronald C. White, as well as James McPherson and Doris Kerns Goodwin and just about every other biographer of Lincoln, have all conspired to hide the true facts of Lincoln's trip to Washington in order to make him look good? That the have all included the same bald-faced lie in all of their books - the Lincoln went to Washington alone and far from abandoning them in a dangerous city, Mrs. Lincoln and the children did not even leave Pennsylvania until Lincoln was in Washington and had been seen in public - in order to deceive people? Is that what you would have us believe?

My sources are mostly PRIMARY sources, that is things written by people who witnessed the events. When it comes to Lincoln I shy away from obvious Southern partisans, so while I have Pollard's Southern History of the War, I don't usually quote it as regards Lincoln. I feel the same way about current folks like DiLorenzo even though I'm not aware of any errors he might have made.

So is it your contention that each and every biography written about any individual, let alone Lincoln, is biased and not to be trusted?

Finally, I never said anything that I recall about Lincoln's arrival in Washington. I have written here and elsewhere about events during his travel to Washington.

In your reply 239 your claim was that Lincoln "abandoned his family on a train he believed would be attacked by his opponents. This is known as the "Baltimore Plot." It is unusual to find it indexed in any Lincoln biography unless it's one of Mary Todd." If not on the leg of the trip from Harrisburg to Washington then what part were you referring to?

[ml/nj]

I apologize for the previously posted unreadable newspaper images. I have been paying for and using Photobucket for some time now, but they have apparently decided to self-destruct by destroying their service. Those unreadable images come from the same jpgs included below.

I'm not sure why I couldn't find more than this but right now it's enough.

To make things easier for you I have transcribed the parts that I think are important to understanding this Baltimore Plot incident. Your assorted Great Authors either don't have access to microfilm readers or they have dishonestly omitted details which reflect poorly on the Great Leader.

From NYT Feb 25, 1861

The list of names of the conspirators presented a most astonishing array of persons high in Southern confidence, and some whose fame is not confined to this country alone.

Statesmen laid the plan, Bankers endorsed it, and adventurers were to carry into effect. As they understood, Mr. Lincoln was to leave Harrisburg at 9 o'clock this morning by special train, the idea was if possible, to throw the cars from the road at some point where they would rush down a steep embankment and destroy in a moment the lives of all on board.

So authentic was the source from which the information was obtained, that Mr. Lincoln, after counseling with his friends, was compelled to make arrangements which would enable him to subvert the plans of his enemies.

... Mrs. Lincoln, seconded by Mr. Judd and Mr. Lincoln's original informant, insisted upon it and at nine o'clock Mr. Lincoln left on a special train. ... All the town with the exception of Mrs. Lincoln Col. Sumner, Mr. Judd and two reporters, who were sworn to secrecy supposed [Lincoln] to be asleep.

The telegraph wires were put beyond reach of any one who might desire to use them.

[So the conspirators couldn't possibly learn that Honest Abe wasn't on the train that his wife and son continued to ride upon. And guess what ...]

Mrs. Lincoln, while passing through Baltimore, was grossly insulted by a rabble which surrounded the car in which she was seated in company with Mrs. Capt. Hazard, Col. Sumner, Capt. Pope, Judge Davis, and Robert Lincoln.

----------

From NYT Feb 26, 1861

On the special train which left Harrisburgh promptly at nine in the morning were all who had originally composed the Presidential party, with the exception of Mr. Lincoln [and two others].

Mrs. Lincoln did not seem in the best of spirits, partially because she did not wholly approve of the course taken, of which, indeed, she was not entirely cognisant, and partially because she felt anxious concerning the fate of her husband.

...

Dr. Wallace, Mrs Lincoln's brother, who is an elderly amiable personage, with a very heavy gold headed cane, sat moodily by the stove from the early starting of the train, until the running in thereof - alternately congratulating friendly visitors on the probable safety of brother Abraham and querying as to the possible danger that might be connected in some mysterious way with the train on which we rode.

...

Reached the Baltimore depot, showed plainly what undoubtedly would have happened had Mr. Lincoln been of the party. A vast crowd - a multitude, in fact - had gathered in and about the premises. It was evident that they considered the announcement of Mr. Lincoln's presence in Washington a mere ruse, for,, their heads in at the windows, they shouted - :Trot him out," "Let's have him," "Come out, old Abe," "We'll give you hell," "You bloody Black Republicans," - and other equally po?te but more profane ejaculations. Some rude fellows entered the private apartment in which Mrs. Lincoln was sitting [with others]. As the parties composing the suite, and various correspondents, issued from the car, there was an exhibition of rude vulgarity and disregard of personal comfort that I have never seen equaled.

[It goes on.]

NYT Feb 25 1861 p1 follows

NYT Feb 26 1861 p8 follows

ML/NJ