Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature: Concise Lincoln Library
Autor Ron J. Kelleren Limba Engleză Hardback – 18 mar 2019
In this indispensable account of Abraham Lincoln’s earliest political years, Ron J. Keller reassesses Lincoln’s arguably lackluster legislative record during four terms in the Illinois House of Representatives to reveal how the underpinnings of his temperament, leadership skills, and political acumen were bolstered on the statehouse floor.
Due partly to Lincoln’s own reserve and partly to an unimpressive legislative tally, Lincoln’s time in the state legislature has been largely neglected by historians more drawn to other early hallmarks of his life, including his law career, his personal life, and his single term as a U.S. congressman in the 1840s. Of about sixteen hundred bills, resolutions, and petitions passed from 1834 to 1842, Lincoln introduced only about thirty of them. The issue he most ardently championed and shepherded through the legislature—the internal improvements system—left the state in debt for more than a generation.
Despite that spotty record, Keller argues, it was during these early years that Lincoln displayed and honed the traits that would allow him to excel in politics and ultimately define his legacy: honesty, equality, empathy, and leadership. Keller reanimates Lincoln’s time in the Illinois legislature to reveal the formation of Lincoln’s strong character and political philosophy in those early years, which allowed him to rise to prominence as the Whig party’s floor leader regardless of setbacks and to build a framework for his future.
Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature details Lincoln’s early political platform and the grassroots campaigning that put him in office. Drawing on legislative records, newspaper accounts, speeches, letters, and other sources, Keller describes Lincoln’s positions on key bills, highlights his colleagues’ perceptions of him, and depicts the relationships that grew out of his statehouse interactions. Keller’s research delves into Lincoln’s popularity as a citizen of New Salem, his political alliances and victories, his antislavery stirrings, and his personal joys and struggles as he sharpened his political shrewdness.
Keller argues Lincoln’s definitive political philosophies—economic opportunity and the right to rise, democratic equality, and to a lesser extent his hatred of slavery—took root during his legislative tenure in Illinois. Situating Lincoln’s tenure and viewpoints within the context of national trends, Keller demonstrates that understanding Lincoln’s four terms as a state legislator is vital to understanding him as a whole.
Due partly to Lincoln’s own reserve and partly to an unimpressive legislative tally, Lincoln’s time in the state legislature has been largely neglected by historians more drawn to other early hallmarks of his life, including his law career, his personal life, and his single term as a U.S. congressman in the 1840s. Of about sixteen hundred bills, resolutions, and petitions passed from 1834 to 1842, Lincoln introduced only about thirty of them. The issue he most ardently championed and shepherded through the legislature—the internal improvements system—left the state in debt for more than a generation.
Despite that spotty record, Keller argues, it was during these early years that Lincoln displayed and honed the traits that would allow him to excel in politics and ultimately define his legacy: honesty, equality, empathy, and leadership. Keller reanimates Lincoln’s time in the Illinois legislature to reveal the formation of Lincoln’s strong character and political philosophy in those early years, which allowed him to rise to prominence as the Whig party’s floor leader regardless of setbacks and to build a framework for his future.
Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature details Lincoln’s early political platform and the grassroots campaigning that put him in office. Drawing on legislative records, newspaper accounts, speeches, letters, and other sources, Keller describes Lincoln’s positions on key bills, highlights his colleagues’ perceptions of him, and depicts the relationships that grew out of his statehouse interactions. Keller’s research delves into Lincoln’s popularity as a citizen of New Salem, his political alliances and victories, his antislavery stirrings, and his personal joys and struggles as he sharpened his political shrewdness.
Keller argues Lincoln’s definitive political philosophies—economic opportunity and the right to rise, democratic equality, and to a lesser extent his hatred of slavery—took root during his legislative tenure in Illinois. Situating Lincoln’s tenure and viewpoints within the context of national trends, Keller demonstrates that understanding Lincoln’s four terms as a state legislator is vital to understanding him as a whole.
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Specificații
ISBN-13: 9780809337002
ISBN-10: 0809337002
Pagini: 176
Ilustrații: 8
Dimensiuni: 127 x 203 x 23 mm
Greutate: 0.32 kg
Ediția:1st Edition
Editura: Southern Illinois University Press
Colecția Southern Illinois University Press
Seria Concise Lincoln Library
ISBN-10: 0809337002
Pagini: 176
Ilustrații: 8
Dimensiuni: 127 x 203 x 23 mm
Greutate: 0.32 kg
Ediția:1st Edition
Editura: Southern Illinois University Press
Colecția Southern Illinois University Press
Seria Concise Lincoln Library
Notă biografică
Ron J. Keller is an associate professor of history and political science and the managing director of the Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development at Lincoln College. He is a coauthor of Abraham Lincoln in Logan County, Illinois, 1834–1860 and A Respect for the Office: Letters from the Presidents. A past director of the Lincoln Heritage Museum, he serves on the board of the Abraham Lincoln Association and is an adviser to the Lincoln Forum.
Extras
1. CITIZEN LINCOLN, CANDIDATE LINCOLN
On a sweltering summer day in 1831 a tall, twenty-two-year-old man sauntered into the small log-cabin settlement of New Salem, Illinois. He knew only local entrepreneur Denton Offutt, who had hired him a few months prior to help pilot a flatboat of goods down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Abraham Lincoln entered the village with high hopes, looking for the opportunity to establish himself there and rise in achievement. He had chosen a life different from his father, whose narrow ambition, limited education, and traditional worldview were at odds with young Lincoln’s aims. So he left his father’s homestead on the prairie in Coles County, Illinois, and traveled over a hundred miles northwest to New Salem—a village of approximately a hundred residents near the center of the state. It was a modest beginning to Lincoln’s life of independence. Yet within a year he would launch his political career for the state legislature, and in less than ten years would be known statewide.
Denton Offutt had met Lincoln in early February and in March had hired him and his stepbrother John Johnston to help construct a flatboat to take supplies down to New Orleans. They loaded the flatboat and maneuvered it down the Sangamon River. But in the shallow waters at New Salem, the boat protruded over a dam and became stuck. Curious to see the activity, a crowd gathered as Lincoln drilled a hole in the boat’s bow to release the water that had seeped in. His ingenuity pleased the onlookers, who applauded Lincoln’s resourcefulness. Offutt, who was also impressed, told Lincoln that he intended to open a store in New Salem, and asked if the young man might consider moving to the village to be his store clerk.
Taking Offutt up on his offer, Lincoln arrived in New Salem a “friendless, uneducated, penniless boy,” as he later described himself. He toted all that he owned under his arm. Upon gazing at the tall, lanky newcomer, New Salem resident William Butler pronounced him “as ruff a specimen of humanity as could be found. His legs were bare for six inches between bottom of pants and top of socks.” At six feet, four inches, dark-complexioned, with coarse, unruly black hair, he weighed only some 180 pounds, despite his great height. His odd appearance was deceiving, for beneath the raggedness lay ambition, talent, and an intellect that would soon become apparent. But surely no one gazing upon this man in 1831 might predict the pinnacle of greatness and the place in history he would achieve. Indeed, in less than a decade after his arrival in New Salem, Abraham Lincoln would develop and display the admirable characteristics and qualities that defined him for the rest of his life.
Even in his extreme homeliness, Lincoln did not entirely stand out from the dwellers of his new hometown. Most of the inhabitants of New Salem were farmers originally from the South, many hailing, as Lincoln did, from Kentucky. Although small, the town boasted all the needed craftsmen and laborers necessary to frontier life, including a blacksmith, cabinetmaker, cobbler, cooper, hatter, two physicians, and a wheelwright. The town also had a court, post office, ferry, tavern, two stores, and two saloons. Independent and self-reliant, the villagers were typical of those described by a traveler to Illinois who noted that “they have much plain, blunt, but sincere hospitality . . . [and] assume no airs of distinction.” As was typical of a raw pioneer village, a large number of roughs and bullies inhabited New Salem.
Physical strength proved valuable on the frontier. Not long after arriving, Lincoln encountered a test of his manhood against the town ruffians—the Clary’s Grove Boys. The group’s leader, Jack Armstrong, challenged him to a wrestling match. It is unclear who prevailed in the bout. Both men fought hard, and Lincoln’s strength and confidence were enough to win the good will and respect of Armstrong and his followers. The match yielded for Lincoln more than admiration for his physical prowess: these very men befriended and later defended Lincoln, aiding him in his political rise.
Despite its hard side, New Salem possessed educated citizens, and Lincoln found favor among that company as well. At least six college graduates lived in New Salem, along with a few free thinkers, toward whom Lincoln gravitated. Wishing to compensate for his own deficiencies after having had just a year of formal education in Kentucky and Indiana, he sought out the local schoolmaster Mentor Graham, the town philosopher Jack Kelso, and the justice of the peace Bowling Green. Lincoln borrowed books from the town mill owner and tavern keeper, James Rutledge, who had a personal library. He picked the brain of Dartmouth graduate Dr. John Allen on religious topics. It was in New Salem that Lincoln encountered the literature of Shakespeare, the poetry of Robert Burns, and the Enlightenment philosophy of Thomas Paine.
Of all his fellow citizens, Green had the greatest long-term impact on Lincoln politically; the eager student became fascinated with elements of law after Green gave Lincoln the opportunity to participate in court proceedings, arguing small court cases without pay. Green had previously served as a canal commissioner and knew the ins and outs of canal building, and this knowledge would also prove useful to Lincoln.
Lincoln’s physical strength, budding intellect, genial demeanor, and boisterous sense of humor won him many friends in New Salem. For the goodwill and amusement of others he was always ready with a joke or tall tale. But acquaintances quickly recognized, as villager Jason Duncan did, that beyond a penchant to amuse, Lincoln possessed intelligence “far beyond . . . his age.”
The intellectually curious Lincoln began regularly to attend meetings of the New Salem Debating Society. From his first appearance at a society meeting, he impressed the participants with his natural ability to communicate and enthrall. James Rutledge, president of the society, recalled that as Lincoln stood for open discussion, he thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his pantaloons. Attendees smiled with anticipation, expecting a yarn from the awkwardly posed speaker, who astonished them with an intellectual treatise. Observing Lincoln lost in debate, surrounded by an enraptured audience, Rutledge concluded that “there was more in Abe’s head than wit and fun; that he was already a fine speaker; that all he lacked was culture to enable him to reach the high destiny which he knew was in store for him.”
Indeed, Lincoln had a keen interest in politics. In 1830 after his father relocated from Indiana to Macon County, Illinois, Lincoln witnessed political stump speaking for the first time. He stood mesmerized by the sight of William Lee Ewing and John F. Posey, canvassing for the state legislature, using the power of words and ideas to charm a crowd. The speeches impressed him so much that he afterward took to the stump to make his own speech, much to the amusement of the assembly.
Now on August 1, 1831, just weeks after his arrival in New Salem, voters cast their ballots for U.S. Congress. In the home of James Camron, Lincoln likely cast a vote for the first time in his life. In keeping with the common practice of elections at that time, he voted orally, announcing his choices to the clerks of election who sat behind a table marking their tally sheets. In Illinois, all white male inhabitants who had achieved twenty-one years of age and resided in the state six months preceding the election were eligible to vote. The convergence of elective politics, community relationships, and civic spirit presented an opportunity for an ambitious political enthusiast like Lincoln. Making the most of the experience, he dawdled at the polling place long after he voted, greeting neighbors, and, by nightfall, the relative newcomer had met nearly all the men from the surrounding area.
Lincoln deepened his involvement in community affairs by offering to help his neighbors raise houses or harvest crops. His propensity for honesty and reputation for impartiality prompted villagers to solicit his assistance in judging footraces and other local contests. Townsfolk called upon this man of character when they needed someone of intellect, such as when Lincoln was asked to petition the county court to help a local man who had gone insane. Within months, it was said Lincoln “knew every man, woman & child for miles around.”
In the year following his arrival in New Salem, Lincoln continued to clerk in Offutt’s store, earning a decent salary of fifteen dollars a month and lodging in the back room. While Lincoln was grateful for the job, the twenty-three-year-old aspired to something greater. “He talked about politics Considerable,” observed one New Salem resident. With his talents and ambition, Lincoln believed politics could be a ticket to making a name for himself and rising in the world. A seat in the Illinois state legislature held great appeal. Members enjoyed prominence in their respective communities, and the office was attainable by anyone willing to campaign hard enough. By early 1832 Lincoln had lived in the region for less than nine months, but felt his prospects might be favorable. He floated the idea of a legislative candidacy to a few of his fellow residents, including James Rutledge, who advised Lincoln that a run for elective office might bring him “before the people and in time would do him good.”
Others thought the idea of uncouth, ill-dressed, and inexperienced Lincoln as state representative a joke, and did not expect his candidacy to materialize. But most residents, “with warm solicitations,” hailed the thought. New Salem resident J. Rowan Herndon voiced the sentiments of many in the village declaring that the people “had a wright to a member [of the legislature] from that Part of the County.” “Encouraged,” as he put it, “by his great popularity among his immediate neighbors,” Lincoln forwarded his name as a candidate for the state legislature on March 9, 1832, in a circular appearing in the Springfield newspaper, the Sangamo Journal.
Announcing one’s candidacy in the newspaper was a common practice for novice candidates. With no real national party organization established by 1832, a man seeking political office might be fortunate enough to enjoy the backing of influential politicians or have a large group of supporters create an announcement on his behalf. As a newcomer, Lincoln had no influential backers. So in accordance with the expectation of first-time applicants, he composed a statement of his principles and beliefs, and outlined how he might serve the constituents of the district. He may have printed and distributed handbills, but none survives. Realizing the imperfections of his writing, Lincoln called upon others, particularly Mentor Graham—who had instructed his student already on the finer points of grammar—for assistance in writing his announcement.
Introducing himself to many residents would be crucial. Because of its sheer size and population, Sangamon County constituted the largest share of members of the legislature of any county in the state. In 1832 the county included the present-day counties of Logan and Menard as well as part of Mason and most of Christian. The size of the constituency entitled Sangamon to four representatives. Lincoln would be competing against twelve other candidates, and he realized the uphill battle he would face. “I am young and unknown to many of you,” he frankly admitted to audiences. Knowing the odds against him, Lincoln did not hold high hopes for a victory. In fact, essentially conceding defeat long before voting began, Lincoln stated unpretentiously that “if the good people in their wisdom shall see fit to keep me in the background, I have been too familiar with disappointments to be very much chagrined.”
Lincoln’s station in life gave him no reason to brag. His announcement struck a tone characteristically associated with Lincoln: “I was born and have ever remained in the most humble walks of life,” he wrote, adding, “I have no wealthy or popular relations to recommend me.” Lincoln depicted himself as a man of poor and lowly means, a shrewd and deliberate maneuver to resonate with the frontier folk who resented elitist politicians. Throughout his political career, Lincoln would allude to his humble origins when convenient.
Regarding his platform, Lincoln quipped, “My politicks are short and sweet, like the old Womans dance.” He focused on a few issues of most concern to the citizens of the county: educational opportunity, a nod to the more learned voters in the region; internal improvements, such as improved transportation facilities; and a law against excessive interest rates.
[end of excerpt]
On a sweltering summer day in 1831 a tall, twenty-two-year-old man sauntered into the small log-cabin settlement of New Salem, Illinois. He knew only local entrepreneur Denton Offutt, who had hired him a few months prior to help pilot a flatboat of goods down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Abraham Lincoln entered the village with high hopes, looking for the opportunity to establish himself there and rise in achievement. He had chosen a life different from his father, whose narrow ambition, limited education, and traditional worldview were at odds with young Lincoln’s aims. So he left his father’s homestead on the prairie in Coles County, Illinois, and traveled over a hundred miles northwest to New Salem—a village of approximately a hundred residents near the center of the state. It was a modest beginning to Lincoln’s life of independence. Yet within a year he would launch his political career for the state legislature, and in less than ten years would be known statewide.
Denton Offutt had met Lincoln in early February and in March had hired him and his stepbrother John Johnston to help construct a flatboat to take supplies down to New Orleans. They loaded the flatboat and maneuvered it down the Sangamon River. But in the shallow waters at New Salem, the boat protruded over a dam and became stuck. Curious to see the activity, a crowd gathered as Lincoln drilled a hole in the boat’s bow to release the water that had seeped in. His ingenuity pleased the onlookers, who applauded Lincoln’s resourcefulness. Offutt, who was also impressed, told Lincoln that he intended to open a store in New Salem, and asked if the young man might consider moving to the village to be his store clerk.
Taking Offutt up on his offer, Lincoln arrived in New Salem a “friendless, uneducated, penniless boy,” as he later described himself. He toted all that he owned under his arm. Upon gazing at the tall, lanky newcomer, New Salem resident William Butler pronounced him “as ruff a specimen of humanity as could be found. His legs were bare for six inches between bottom of pants and top of socks.” At six feet, four inches, dark-complexioned, with coarse, unruly black hair, he weighed only some 180 pounds, despite his great height. His odd appearance was deceiving, for beneath the raggedness lay ambition, talent, and an intellect that would soon become apparent. But surely no one gazing upon this man in 1831 might predict the pinnacle of greatness and the place in history he would achieve. Indeed, in less than a decade after his arrival in New Salem, Abraham Lincoln would develop and display the admirable characteristics and qualities that defined him for the rest of his life.
Even in his extreme homeliness, Lincoln did not entirely stand out from the dwellers of his new hometown. Most of the inhabitants of New Salem were farmers originally from the South, many hailing, as Lincoln did, from Kentucky. Although small, the town boasted all the needed craftsmen and laborers necessary to frontier life, including a blacksmith, cabinetmaker, cobbler, cooper, hatter, two physicians, and a wheelwright. The town also had a court, post office, ferry, tavern, two stores, and two saloons. Independent and self-reliant, the villagers were typical of those described by a traveler to Illinois who noted that “they have much plain, blunt, but sincere hospitality . . . [and] assume no airs of distinction.” As was typical of a raw pioneer village, a large number of roughs and bullies inhabited New Salem.
Physical strength proved valuable on the frontier. Not long after arriving, Lincoln encountered a test of his manhood against the town ruffians—the Clary’s Grove Boys. The group’s leader, Jack Armstrong, challenged him to a wrestling match. It is unclear who prevailed in the bout. Both men fought hard, and Lincoln’s strength and confidence were enough to win the good will and respect of Armstrong and his followers. The match yielded for Lincoln more than admiration for his physical prowess: these very men befriended and later defended Lincoln, aiding him in his political rise.
Despite its hard side, New Salem possessed educated citizens, and Lincoln found favor among that company as well. At least six college graduates lived in New Salem, along with a few free thinkers, toward whom Lincoln gravitated. Wishing to compensate for his own deficiencies after having had just a year of formal education in Kentucky and Indiana, he sought out the local schoolmaster Mentor Graham, the town philosopher Jack Kelso, and the justice of the peace Bowling Green. Lincoln borrowed books from the town mill owner and tavern keeper, James Rutledge, who had a personal library. He picked the brain of Dartmouth graduate Dr. John Allen on religious topics. It was in New Salem that Lincoln encountered the literature of Shakespeare, the poetry of Robert Burns, and the Enlightenment philosophy of Thomas Paine.
Of all his fellow citizens, Green had the greatest long-term impact on Lincoln politically; the eager student became fascinated with elements of law after Green gave Lincoln the opportunity to participate in court proceedings, arguing small court cases without pay. Green had previously served as a canal commissioner and knew the ins and outs of canal building, and this knowledge would also prove useful to Lincoln.
Lincoln’s physical strength, budding intellect, genial demeanor, and boisterous sense of humor won him many friends in New Salem. For the goodwill and amusement of others he was always ready with a joke or tall tale. But acquaintances quickly recognized, as villager Jason Duncan did, that beyond a penchant to amuse, Lincoln possessed intelligence “far beyond . . . his age.”
The intellectually curious Lincoln began regularly to attend meetings of the New Salem Debating Society. From his first appearance at a society meeting, he impressed the participants with his natural ability to communicate and enthrall. James Rutledge, president of the society, recalled that as Lincoln stood for open discussion, he thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his pantaloons. Attendees smiled with anticipation, expecting a yarn from the awkwardly posed speaker, who astonished them with an intellectual treatise. Observing Lincoln lost in debate, surrounded by an enraptured audience, Rutledge concluded that “there was more in Abe’s head than wit and fun; that he was already a fine speaker; that all he lacked was culture to enable him to reach the high destiny which he knew was in store for him.”
Indeed, Lincoln had a keen interest in politics. In 1830 after his father relocated from Indiana to Macon County, Illinois, Lincoln witnessed political stump speaking for the first time. He stood mesmerized by the sight of William Lee Ewing and John F. Posey, canvassing for the state legislature, using the power of words and ideas to charm a crowd. The speeches impressed him so much that he afterward took to the stump to make his own speech, much to the amusement of the assembly.
Now on August 1, 1831, just weeks after his arrival in New Salem, voters cast their ballots for U.S. Congress. In the home of James Camron, Lincoln likely cast a vote for the first time in his life. In keeping with the common practice of elections at that time, he voted orally, announcing his choices to the clerks of election who sat behind a table marking their tally sheets. In Illinois, all white male inhabitants who had achieved twenty-one years of age and resided in the state six months preceding the election were eligible to vote. The convergence of elective politics, community relationships, and civic spirit presented an opportunity for an ambitious political enthusiast like Lincoln. Making the most of the experience, he dawdled at the polling place long after he voted, greeting neighbors, and, by nightfall, the relative newcomer had met nearly all the men from the surrounding area.
Lincoln deepened his involvement in community affairs by offering to help his neighbors raise houses or harvest crops. His propensity for honesty and reputation for impartiality prompted villagers to solicit his assistance in judging footraces and other local contests. Townsfolk called upon this man of character when they needed someone of intellect, such as when Lincoln was asked to petition the county court to help a local man who had gone insane. Within months, it was said Lincoln “knew every man, woman & child for miles around.”
In the year following his arrival in New Salem, Lincoln continued to clerk in Offutt’s store, earning a decent salary of fifteen dollars a month and lodging in the back room. While Lincoln was grateful for the job, the twenty-three-year-old aspired to something greater. “He talked about politics Considerable,” observed one New Salem resident. With his talents and ambition, Lincoln believed politics could be a ticket to making a name for himself and rising in the world. A seat in the Illinois state legislature held great appeal. Members enjoyed prominence in their respective communities, and the office was attainable by anyone willing to campaign hard enough. By early 1832 Lincoln had lived in the region for less than nine months, but felt his prospects might be favorable. He floated the idea of a legislative candidacy to a few of his fellow residents, including James Rutledge, who advised Lincoln that a run for elective office might bring him “before the people and in time would do him good.”
Others thought the idea of uncouth, ill-dressed, and inexperienced Lincoln as state representative a joke, and did not expect his candidacy to materialize. But most residents, “with warm solicitations,” hailed the thought. New Salem resident J. Rowan Herndon voiced the sentiments of many in the village declaring that the people “had a wright to a member [of the legislature] from that Part of the County.” “Encouraged,” as he put it, “by his great popularity among his immediate neighbors,” Lincoln forwarded his name as a candidate for the state legislature on March 9, 1832, in a circular appearing in the Springfield newspaper, the Sangamo Journal.
Announcing one’s candidacy in the newspaper was a common practice for novice candidates. With no real national party organization established by 1832, a man seeking political office might be fortunate enough to enjoy the backing of influential politicians or have a large group of supporters create an announcement on his behalf. As a newcomer, Lincoln had no influential backers. So in accordance with the expectation of first-time applicants, he composed a statement of his principles and beliefs, and outlined how he might serve the constituents of the district. He may have printed and distributed handbills, but none survives. Realizing the imperfections of his writing, Lincoln called upon others, particularly Mentor Graham—who had instructed his student already on the finer points of grammar—for assistance in writing his announcement.
Introducing himself to many residents would be crucial. Because of its sheer size and population, Sangamon County constituted the largest share of members of the legislature of any county in the state. In 1832 the county included the present-day counties of Logan and Menard as well as part of Mason and most of Christian. The size of the constituency entitled Sangamon to four representatives. Lincoln would be competing against twelve other candidates, and he realized the uphill battle he would face. “I am young and unknown to many of you,” he frankly admitted to audiences. Knowing the odds against him, Lincoln did not hold high hopes for a victory. In fact, essentially conceding defeat long before voting began, Lincoln stated unpretentiously that “if the good people in their wisdom shall see fit to keep me in the background, I have been too familiar with disappointments to be very much chagrined.”
Lincoln’s station in life gave him no reason to brag. His announcement struck a tone characteristically associated with Lincoln: “I was born and have ever remained in the most humble walks of life,” he wrote, adding, “I have no wealthy or popular relations to recommend me.” Lincoln depicted himself as a man of poor and lowly means, a shrewd and deliberate maneuver to resonate with the frontier folk who resented elitist politicians. Throughout his political career, Lincoln would allude to his humble origins when convenient.
Regarding his platform, Lincoln quipped, “My politicks are short and sweet, like the old Womans dance.” He focused on a few issues of most concern to the citizens of the county: educational opportunity, a nod to the more learned voters in the region; internal improvements, such as improved transportation facilities; and a law against excessive interest rates.
[end of excerpt]
Cuprins
Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
1. Citizen Lincoln, Candidate Lincoln
2. A Prominent and Partisan Politician
3. Lawyer, Legislator, Logroller, Leader
4. Winning Legislation, Winning Esteem
5. The Prize and Price of Politics
6. A Final Term and a Future Undetermined
Epilogue
Notes
Index
List of Illustrations
Preface
1. Citizen Lincoln, Candidate Lincoln
2. A Prominent and Partisan Politician
3. Lawyer, Legislator, Logroller, Leader
4. Winning Legislation, Winning Esteem
5. The Prize and Price of Politics
6. A Final Term and a Future Undetermined
Epilogue
Notes
Index
Recenzii
"Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature is a welcome reconsideration of Lincoln's legislative career. It provides a fresh perspective on those eight momentous years in the future president's early life."—Kenneth J. Winkle, The Annals of Iowa
“Ron J. Keller is a knowledgeable, insightful, and readable historian of Lincoln’s earliest political years in Illinois. This nuanced work shows how Lincoln transformed himself into our country’s most respected president. Without hesitation, and with over forty-six years in the Lincoln world, I would suggest that Keller’s book is truly essential to the understanding of Lincoln’s well-documented growth in the 1850s.”—Daniel R. Weinberg, president, Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, Inc.
“Ron Keller delves into a formative time of Lincoln's life that is often mentioned but has rarely been written of at length. In Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature, Keller serves notice that Lincoln's four terms in the Illinois House tremendously impacted the Railsplitter's future course and laid the groundwork for how he approached so many of the issues he would face later in life. Any admirer or student of Lincoln will find this a must-read, and they will come away with a greater respect for how a frontier capital forged our nation's greatest president.”—Tim Butler, Illinois state representative, whose legislative district includes much of the same area Abraham Lincoln represented
“Keller's book offers a synthesis of material on Lincoln's early public service and is a useful tool in the continuing quest to understand Abraham Lincoln.”—Bernard Sieracki, author of A Just Cause: The Impeachment and Removal of Governor Rod Blagojevich
“Ron J. Keller is a knowledgeable, insightful, and readable historian of Lincoln’s earliest political years in Illinois. This nuanced work shows how Lincoln transformed himself into our country’s most respected president. Without hesitation, and with over forty-six years in the Lincoln world, I would suggest that Keller’s book is truly essential to the understanding of Lincoln’s well-documented growth in the 1850s.”—Daniel R. Weinberg, president, Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, Inc.
“Ron Keller delves into a formative time of Lincoln's life that is often mentioned but has rarely been written of at length. In Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature, Keller serves notice that Lincoln's four terms in the Illinois House tremendously impacted the Railsplitter's future course and laid the groundwork for how he approached so many of the issues he would face later in life. Any admirer or student of Lincoln will find this a must-read, and they will come away with a greater respect for how a frontier capital forged our nation's greatest president.”—Tim Butler, Illinois state representative, whose legislative district includes much of the same area Abraham Lincoln represented
“Keller's book offers a synthesis of material on Lincoln's early public service and is a useful tool in the continuing quest to understand Abraham Lincoln.”—Bernard Sieracki, author of A Just Cause: The Impeachment and Removal of Governor Rod Blagojevich
Descriere
Drawing on legislative records, newspaper accounts, speeches, letters, and other sources, Keller describes Lincoln’s positions on key bills, highlights his colleagues’ perceptions of him, and depicts the relationships that grew out of his statehouse interactions.