In the Shadow of Lincoln

I’ve always had things that I read or discover in passing that pique my interest and push me into reading extensively about a subject. Among my more recent interests in this vein has been Abraham Lincoln. My interest first came when I read the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin shortly after it was released. It was a fascinating book - one that changed my view of this incredible man and his presidency. I subsequently read both of the books by William Lee Miller about Lincoln (Lincoln’s Virtues: An Ethical Biography, and President Lincoln: The Duty of a Statesman) and these in turn prompted me to read the two-volume set of Lincoln’s collected writings. I really wanted to “watch” the man develop as both a thinker and a writer. Part of me hoped (and still does) that some of his writing style will rub off on me, as I find his style very eloquent and succinct - something rare in any day and age, especially ours. His legacies as a president, a man, and a writer cast very long shadows over Americans in almost any walk of life.



So what did I discover in the course of reading these two volumes?

It occurs to me that first, despite a lack of any significant formal education, Lincoln’s early reading habits and choices were fundamental to his later success as a writer and thinker. It is well-known that he was a voracious reader, going great distances to borrow, read, and return what scant books were available to him on the frontier of the nascent United States. He did read whatever he could get his hands on, but preferred to read books he felt were enlightening, and would improve his thinking and rhetoric. He sought out great writing, and read it with a mind to take any lessons he could from those great writers and apply it to his own work. His selective self-education was (if we believe the evidence we have now) far more effective than the education many students have today in writing. Perhaps the lesson to be drawn from this is that it’s great that kids read at all, but to have the best effect on their writing and thinking, they should read both fun and challenging books. However, the challenging books should be self-selected as we all know how much we hated those assigned school books!

Reading his collected writings reminded me that even though he was the President, he still didn’t take himself too seriously, and that he was one of the most magnanimous persons to hold significant power. The incredible number of reprieves, paroles, and commutations of sentences speaks to his magnanimity, as well as the gentle and patient manner in which he spoke to those he could very well order around. His famous line from the second inaugural With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in... rings true through his words and actions as a man and as a president.

Finally, his writing improved through use and through necessity. A close reading of his writings and speeches reveals that as he moved late into his first term, and early into his second term he was much more economical with his words. This “economy” is free of the usual negative connotations with less, indeed he became much more effective in his word choice and sentence/paragraph structure in the separation of that which was essential from that which was non-essential. Perhaps the two greatest examples of this are his letter to Mrs. Bixby of Nov. 21, 1864 (as quoted in Saving Private Ryan) and his masterpiece, the Gettysburg Address. It occurs to me that this efficiency was out of necessity at this point - as president of the embattled nation, he had little time to “wax eloquent” at every given opportunity, but he did give everything presented to him its due. I think for you and I, writing and rhetoric improves not only through study, but also through use and thoughtful editing.

I would like to close with two of my favorite excerpts from Lincoln’s writings. The first is a letter from Lincoln to Eliza Gurney, a Quaker, and the second is an incredibly concise (and to me a bit jocular) push for Lee’s surrender of the Army of Northern Virgina. The quality of his writing speaks for itself - you can see his compassion and eloquence all to well in these examples.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 4th, 1864.

Eliza P. Gurney:

My Esteemed Friend, I have not forgotten, probably never shall forget, the very impressive occasion when yourself and friends visited me on a Sabbath forenoon two years ago. Nor has your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been forgotten. In all it has been your purpose to strengthen my reliance on God. I am much indebted to the good Christian people of the country for their constant prayers and consolations, and to no one of them more than to yourself. The purposes of the Almighty are perfect, and must prevail, though we erring mortals may fail to accurately perceive them in advance. We hoped for a happy termination of this terrible war long before this; but God knows best, and has ruled otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge His wisdom and our own error therein. Meanwhile we must work earnestly in the best light He gives us, trusting that so working still conduces to the great ends He ordains. Surely He intends some great good to follow this mighty convulsion, which no mortal could make, and no mortal could stay.

Your people, the Friends, have had and are having a very great trial. On principle and faith opposed to both war and oppression, they can only practically oppose oppression by war. In this hard dilemma some have chosen one horn and some the other. For those appealing to me on conscientious grounds I have done, and shall do, the best I could and can, in my own conscience, under my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not, and, believing it, I shall still receive for our country and myself your earnest prayers to our Father in heaven.

Your sincere friend,

A. Lincoln


*****


To Ulysses S. Grant, Head Quarters Armies of the United States
City-Point
April 7, 11 AM, 1865

Lieut. Gen. Grant.

Gen. Sheridan says “If the thing is pressed I think that Lee will surrender.” Let the thing be pressed.

A. Lincoln