Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

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Ch. 5 “Turbulent Fifties”- reaction to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Chase and Seward views of KnAct,

Ch. 6 “The Gathering Storm”- Lincoln and his ambition, Stanton background, Mary Lincoln’s support of Abe, establishment of the GOP, Bleeding Kansas pg. 183, Sumner-Brooks Affair, Dredd Scott Decision, Lecompton,

Ch. 7 “Countdown to the Nomination”

Why is Abraham Lincoln special?

When we think of Abraham Lincoln, we have to think about his legacy and his qualities and really think about how he is remembered, and why we has such a great reputation. As we know from Rashomon, interpretations are subject to bias. Do we remember Abe as a hero who saved the Union because he was martyred? There is a tendency to glorify a president who died in the service to his country. JFK is very much glorified for his murder, but was he a great man, is he judged for his character or was he simply glorified because he died in office in a horrible assassination? I believe that is latter is true. He was a very flawed figure, womanizer, who came from a wealthy background, and really didn’t get much accomplished. He was a novice diplomat and did not have a stellar record of achievements. Although he did stand for some really important values, based on his record, will not be seen as a great president. (more to come later about Kennedy)

Lincoln, however, was a great leader, politician, and had extremely admirable values. His character was exemplary, even by today’s standards. His personal behavior as “Honest Abe” is very true. He was motivated to learn on his own, coming from the poorest background. His father was a simple man, an uneducated“hired hand,” and did not own land. His mother was a saint, really a wonderful woman according to all accounts, Abe probably attained his values and personality from her to a large degree. He worked hard all his life, and was a highly intelligent and gifted individual. Self-educated he eventually learned law, on his own, and practiced “Riding the Circuit.”(see page 149)

He was extremely well liked while he practiced law in Illinois. “ The lawyer comin to town” was an entertaining event. “He was singularly good at his work, earning the respect and admiration of his fellow lawyers. Several of these associates became good friends and supporters… Lincoln’s exceptional skill in addressing juries… his “warm hearted” nature and his “exceeding honesty & fairness.” (pg. 150)

“No lawyer on the circuit was better loved… He arrogated to himself no superiority over anyone.” (pg. 150)

“He did not drink or smoke or use profane language. He did not judge others…”

He told great anecdote jokes (see page 151)

“Lincoln possessed an extraordinary ability to convey practical wisdom in the form of humorous tales his listeners could remember and repeat.” (the gift of storytelling)

His marriage was problematic and he tolerated it. He survived through the escape of “riding the circuit.”

He was inspirational, he was captivating, he had charisma. People listened to him and were inspired. (pg. 165) “He used irony, humor, laced with workaday, homespun images to build an eloquent tower of logic… communicating an enormously complicated issue with wit, simplicity, and a massive moral persuasion.” (pg. 166)

Although Lincoln possessed a humanity that was unique he was a master politician and contained anexceptional mind for politics. He felt deeply the concept of right and wrong but always respected the law. He cared about public service. He studied, over studied issues before he spoke on issues of great importance. He responded against the Kansas-Nebraska Act (Pg. 163) He responded energetically. “The fight to stem the spread of slavery would become the great purpose of his life.” (pg. 164) He delivered his first great antislavery speech in Springfield, Oct. 1854. Where he attacked Douglas’ view popular sovereignty. Lincoln said, “The doctrine of self-government is right-absolutely and eternally right,” but, “No man is good enough to govern another man, without that other’s consent. I say this is the leading principle- the sheet anchor of American republicanism… a total destruction of self-government” (pg. 167)

He was empathetic; he understood the issues from the side of the opposition and knew they had a legitimate view and real concerns. He did not vilify and express hatred for Southerners, “they are just what we would be in their situation. If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it. If it did now exist amongst us, we should not instantly give it up… I understand and appreciate the saying. I surely will not blame them for not doing what I should not know how to do myself… when they remind us of their constitutional rights, I acknowledge them… and I would give them any legislation for the reclaiming of their fugitives.” (runaway slaves- fugitive slave act)Lincoln appealed to the slave owners own sense of justice and humanity. (pg. 168)

Lincoln did not like discrimination or hypocrisy. “How can anyone who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people?... Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that “all men are created equal.” We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except negroes. When Know-Nothings get control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.’ When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty- to Russia, for instance.” (pg. 181)

He organized the creation of the GOP in Illinois.

Lincoln believed in the rights of all men. He acknowledged the Declaration of Independence was not intended to reflect social/political equality, but a statement of principles that would eventually be reflected in social relations. In other words, he argued blacks were men and had a minimal right to freedom. Further he believed that the founders wanted a future that provided equality and rights to people, it was an evolutionary/developmental issue. Time would bring the ideal into reality.

Response to the Dredd Scott Decision (1857) Taney, “Insists at great length that negroes were no part of the people who made, or for whom was made, the Declaration of Independence, or Constitution… ‘The founders did not declare all men equal in all respects. “They did not mean to say all were equal in color, size, intellect, moral developments, or social capacity.’” But they did declare all men “equal in certain inalienable rights, among which ae life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… They meant simply to declare the right, so the enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should permit.” (pg. 190)

Lincoln’s insight and vision, as well as his ability to make the complex issues comprehensible to the common folk, allowed him to communicate the his ideas effectively.“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free, I do not expect the house to fall- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

One of the most impressive displays of thoughtful political debate occurred in the 1858 Illinois Senate Race. The Lincoln Douglas Debates were a magnificent testimony to American political discourse. The debates became Lincoln’s Battle of New Orleans and propelled him to national prominence and were the catalyst for his presidential aspirations. Seven face to face debates, 4000 miles through Illinois including hundreds of speeches. 1. The first contestant spoke for an hour, 2. Followed by one and ½ hour rebuttal, and the crowd interjecting.

Lincoln used the meaning of the Declaration of Independence to argue his point against Douglas’ Popular Sovereignty doctrine.

“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness… The doctrine of self-government is right… but it has no just application to slavery… When the white man governs himself that is self-government; but when he governs himself, and also governs another man, that is more than self-government, that is despotism. If the negro is a man, why then my ancient faith teaches me that ‘all men are created equal and that there can be no moral right in connection with one man’s making a slave of another.” (pg. 203)

See page 204 for Douglas’ rebuttal (basically he argues the founders did not reference blacks or Indians… and that Lincoln advocated equality, “negro citizenship” and used the epithet “Black Republicans”

Lincoln’s response: He had “no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and the black races. (he was never in favor) of making voters or jurors or negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office or intermarry… but not withstanding all this there is no reason in the world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence… I agree with Judge Douglas he is not my equal in many respects, certainly not in color, perhaps not in moral and intellectual endowment. But in the right to eat the bread, without leave of anybody else, which his own hand earns he is my equal and the equal of Judge Dougles, and the equal of every living man.”

“Be assured, be assured, gentlemen (to Southerners) you are sowing the wind and you will reap the whirlwind… No man can stand in the North in that day of reckoning who plants himself on the ground of sustaining the repeal of the Missouri Compromise… It pits face to face the two opposing forces of slavery and freedom.” (pg. 163, New York Tribune reporter, response to Kansas-Nebraska Act)