Lincoln in the World (53 page)

68
. Findley,
A. Lincoln: Crucible of Congress
, p. 85; Randall,
Mary Lincoln
, pp. 107–8 (Lincolns arrived); Beveridge, v. 2, p. 101 (unpleasant welcome); Riddle,
Congressman Lincoln
, pp. 8, 13 (laconic record).

69
. Watterston,
New Guide to Washington
, pp. 24–25; Riddle,
Congressman Lincoln
, p. 31; Beveridge, v. 2, pp. 108–109; Browne,
Every-Day Life of Abraham Lincoln
, p. 191 (“roar of laughter”).

70
. LaFeber,
The American Age
, p. 88; Bemis,
John Quincy Adams and the Foundations of American Foreign Policy
, pp. 8, 182, 253.

71
. Adams’s “monsters” speech, it is worth noting, was intended as a challenge to those Americans who wished to aid foreign revolutionaries in the early 1820s; it was written long before the Mexican War. My thanks to George C. Herring for stressing this point. See also Howe,
What Hath God Wrought
, p. 742 (“irreconcilables”); Carpenter,
Inner Life
, p. 212; Schroeder,
Mr. Polk’s War
(Madison, 1973).

72
. Polk, “Third Annual Message,” Dec. 7, 1847, in Richardson, ed.,
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents
,
1789–1897
, v. 4 (Washington, 1897), pp. 532–64.

73
. Fuller,
Movement for the Acquisition of All Mexico
, p. 61 (All-Mexico);
New York Herald
, Oct. 8, 1847, quoted in ibid., p. 82. See also Merk,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 123 (“Sabine virgins”);
Illinois State Register
, Nov. 12, 1847, quoted in Merk, p. 148 (“philanthropy and benevolence”).

74
. Howe,
What Hath God Wrought
, p. 807 (“sensationalism”); Merk,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 120n29; Johannsen,
To the Halls of the Montezumas
, p. 243; CG, 30th Cong., 1st Sess., p. 79, quoted in Fuller,
Movement for the Acquisition of All Mexico
, p. 103.

75
. Weinberg,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 161 (“American democracy”); Fuller,
Movement for the Acquisition of All Mexico
, p. 81; and Weinberg,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 161 (evangelical revival); New York
Herald
, Jan. 30, 1848, quoted in Fuller,
Movement for the Acquisition of All Mexico
, pp. 107–8 (“evidence of civilization”). See also Weinberg,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 175.

76
. Polk,
Diary of James K. Polk
, v. 2, Dec. 22, 1846, p. 288, quoted in Merry, p. 331 (Polk’s diary);
Appendix to CG
, 29th Cong., 2nd Sess., p. 217; Beveridge, v. 1, pp. 107n4, 120–21; and Merk,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 96 (Giddings). See also Monaghan, p. 64, and Boritt, “Lincoln’s Opposition to the Mexican War,” p. 89.

77
. Lincoln, “Autobiography Written for John L. Scripps,” c. June 1860, in
CWL
, v. 4, pp. 61–66 (“in the president”); and “Speech at Wilmington, Del.,” June 10, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 476.

78
. Lincoln, “ ‘Spot’ Resolutions in the United States House of Representatives,” in ibid., v. 1, pp. 421–22.

79
. Lincoln to Herndon, Jan. 8, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 430.

80
. Lincoln to Herndon, Feb. 1, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 448.

81
. Lincoln to Herndon, Feb. 15, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, pp. 451–52.

82
. Ibid. (“constitutional argument”). Mark E. Neely Jr. emphasizes this point. See Neely, “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” pp. 6–7. See also Lincoln to Herndon, July 11, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 499 (“while you’re young!”).

83
. Herndon to Parker, Nov. 27, 1858, quoted in Newton,
Lincoln and Herndon
, pp. 245–46 (“young, undisciplined”); Herndon, “Big Me,” reel 11, HW, LOC (“somewhat of a radical”); HL, p. 228 (lead to abolition); Herndon, “Analysis of the Character of Abraham Lincoln,” pp. 349, 351 (“Godward”). Herndon made these observations after the Civil War. He presumably was referring to the latter conflict, but it seems safe to assume that Lincoln’s law partner felt the same way about the Mexican War.

84
. Herndon to Weik, Jan. 9, 1886, HW, LOC (“glittering generalities”); Donald,
Lincoln’s Herndon
, p. 41 (“tears on the jury”); Herndon to Weik, Dec. 12, 1889, July 25, 1890, HW, LOC (“bones philosophy”). See also Donald, “
We Are Lincoln Men,”
pp. 73–75.

85
. HL, pp. 175–176, 179 (“sealed Lincoln’s doom,” “made a mistake,” and “political suicide”). See also Boritt, “Lincoln’s Opposition to the Mexican War,” pp. 81–82 (little evidence); Neely, “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” pp. 23–24; and Findley,
A. Lincoln: Crucible of Congress
, p. x.

86
. Neely, “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” pp. 16–17, 23. See also Boritt, “Lincoln’s Opposition to the Mexican War,” p. 89.

87
. Lincoln, “What General Taylor Ought to Say,” [March?] 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 454; Lincoln to Greeley, June 27, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 493–94
(“revolution extended”). See also Neely, “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” p. 15 (“distracting question”).

88
. Merk,
Manifest Destiny
, p. 184 (ending the war); Fuller,
The Movement for the Acquisition of All Mexico
, pp. 115–16 (senators voted against treaty); Merk,
Manifest Destiny
, pp. 189–90 (supported Polk); Bauer, p. 388 (“Girl I Left Behind”).

89
. Lincoln to Mary, Apr. 16, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 465 (“say nothing”); Lincoln to Mary, June 12, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 477.

90
. Lincoln to Rev. John M. Peck, May 21, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 473.

91
. Lincoln to Archibald Williams, Apr. 30, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, p. 467–68 (smarter choice); McPherson,
Battle Cry of Freedom
, p. 58 (“perpetual frown” and no political record).

92
. Lincoln to Herndon, June 22, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 491 (“wild boys”); Lincoln to Herndon, June 12, 1848, in ibid., v. 1, pp. 476–77 (“war thunder”); HL, p. 179 (“warmed up”);
Illinois State Register
, June 30, 1848, cited in HL, p. 438n77 (tepid support).

93
. Lincoln, “Speech in the U.S. House on the Presidential Question,” July 27, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, pp. 505–15;
Baltimore American
, quoted in
ALAL-DC
, ch. 8, p. 815 (“roar of merriment”).

94
. Neely, “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” pp. 14–15 (tempered his expansionism); Lincoln, “Speech at Worcester, Massachusetts,” Sept. 12, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 2, pp. 1–5; “Governor Henry J. Gardner (statement for Edward L. Pierce),” [Feb.–May 1890,] in
HI
, pp. 698–99. See also
ALAL
, v. 1, pp. 280–81.

95
. Beveridge, v. 2, p. 190 (“rain and snow”); Findley,
A. Lincoln: Crucible of Congress
, p. 93; Clark,
Abraham Lincoln in the National Capital
, p. 8; Oates,
With Malice Toward None
, loc. 1695 (stepping aside for Logan).

96
. Hay,
Diary
, entry for Aug. 13, 1863, p. 73.

97
. See, for example, Neely Jr., “Lincoln and the Mexican War,” p. 23 and passim.

98
. Paul Findley correctly observes that in Congress Lincoln “learned to temper his idealism with pragmatism, to reject unrealistic objectives and settle for steps that were within reach” (Findley,
A. Lincoln: Crucible of Congress
, p. 261; see also p. 216). For an example of a British statesman who was a master “of that same mysterious art,” see Bell, v. 2, p. 428.

99
. See, for example, Guelzo,
Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President
, p. 57, cited in Howe,
What Hath God Wrought
, p. 597 (Midwestern drudgery); Lincoln to Williamson Durley, Oct. 3, 1845, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 347; Boritt,
Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream
, p. 140 (inevitable).

100
. Abner Y. Ellis to Herndon, Dec. 6, 1866, in
HI
, p. 500 (off-color stories and “star gazing”); H. E. Dummer interview with Herndon, [1865–1866,] in HI, pp. 442–43 (“smutty stories”).

101
. This account of the Ottawa debate draws on Tarbell,
Life of Abraham Lincoln
, v. 1, pp. 312–13;
ALAL
, v. 1, pp. 487–88;
Chicago Press and Tribune
, Aug. 23, 1858, and
New York Evening Post
, Aug. 27, 1858, quoted in Davis and Wilson, eds.,
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
, pp. 1–2;
Beveridge, v. 4, pp. 283–85; and Guelzo,
Lincoln and Douglas
(New York, 2008), pp. 113–16.

102
. The physical description of Douglas is from Donald,
Lincoln’s Herndon
, p. 72. See also
Ottawa (Ill.) Republican
, Aug. 28, 1858, quoted in
ALAL
, v. 1, p. 488 (“demonized howl”).

103
. Davis and Wilson, eds.,
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
, pp. 11, 16–17 (opening volley).

104
. Ibid., p. 21.

105
. Ibid., pp. xi–xii (expansionist measures), 61 (boy in hoops).

106
. Ibid., p. 47 (“not generally opposed”);
Illinois State Register
, Oct. 22, 1858, quoted in
ALAL
, v. 1, p. 527.

107
. The debate scrapbooks are in HW, LOC; the clippings I cite are on pp. 75 and 80 of the microfilm version. See also Herndon to Theodore Parker, Oct. 3, 1858, cited in
ALAL
, v. 1, p. 541 (small-town churches); HL, p. 251; and Donald,
Lincoln’s Herndon
, p. 122 (scrapbooks).

108
. Donald,
Lincoln’s Herndon
, p. 110 (“undeveloped feeling”). Lincoln biographer Albert J. Beveridge once told Herndon’s associate Jesse Weik that he believed Herndon greatly admired Douglas’s “power, ability and masterfulness.” (Beveridge to Weik, Aug. 18, 1926, Albert J. Beveridge Papers, folder 4, ALPLM.) David Donald observes, “If it was a choice between being a contented moneybags or a wild-eyed crusader, Herndon felt he had no discretion” (Donald,
Lincoln’s Herndon
, p. 65; see also p. 64). Herndon to Lyman Trumbull, Feb. 19, 1858, Trumbull Papers, LOC (“I hate power”).

109
. Lincoln, “Speech in the United States House of Representatives on Internal Improvements,” June 20, 1848, in
CWL
, v. 1, p. 484.

110
. For a recent reassessment of the Lincoln-Herndon friendship, from one of the leading authorities on Herndon, see Donald, “
We Are Lincoln Men,”
pp. 67–100.

111
. Henry C. Whitney to Herndon, July 18, 1887, in HI, pp. 621–22;
RW
, p. 492 (“bitter and despairing”).

C
HAPTER
T
WO:
L
INCOLN VS
. S
EWARD

1
.
Cincinnati Daily Commercial
, Nov. 21, 1860, and Nov. 24, 1860 (“disagreeably intense”);
New York Tribune
, Nov. 14, 1860 (“hearty Western welcomes” and “heaps and hills”), and Nov. 10, 1860 (“as many nationalities”). See also White,
A. Lincoln
, pp. 351–52; and Holzer,
Lincoln President-Elect
, pp. 21, 61, 142.

2
. See, for example, Boritt,
Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream
, passim.

3
. “Republican Party,”
New Encyclopaedia Britannica (Micropaedia
), v. 9, p. 1035; “Whig Party,”
New Encyclopaedia Britannica (Micropaedia
), v. 12, p. 621.

4
. “Republican Party,”
New Encyclopaedia Britannica (Micropaedia
), v. 9, p. 1035; Foote,
Civil War
, v. 1, locs. 31 (seceding states) and 724 (New Jersey);
Philadelphia Bulletin
, Dec. 14, 1860, copied in
New York Times
, Dec. 20, 1860, in RW, p. 6 (“drive
me insane”). See also Holzer,
Lincoln President-Elect
, pp. 153 (worn and pale), 197.

5
. Hay,
New York World
, Mar. 4, 1861, in Burlingame, ed.,
Lincoln’s Journalist
, p. 50 (“hydraulic pressure”); McClintock to Lincoln, Feb. 5, 1861, ALP, LOC.

6
. For physical descriptions of Seward, see Bancroft, v. 1, p. 190; Van Deusen, p. 10; Laugel,
United States During the Civil War
, p. 312; Goodwin, p. 30. Goodwin’s
Team of Rivals
is an extraordinary recent account of the Lincoln-Seward friendship and rivalry.

7
. Carpenter,
Inner Life
, p. 69 (“man soliloquizing aloud”); Seward,
Reminiscences of a War-Time Statesman and Diplomat
, p. 147 (“depend upon you”); Lincoln to Seward, Mar. 11, 1861, in
CWL
, v. 4, p. 281.

8
. Seward,
Seward at Washington
,
1846–1861
, pp. 487 (“my country”), 491 (“dictatorship”), 497 (“conciliatory person”).

9
. Seward quoted in
ALAL
, v. 2, p. 98 (“hereditary principality”); George Fogg to Lincoln, Feb. 5, 1861, ALP, LOC. See also
ALAL
, v. 1, p. 737.