Tag Archives: abraham-lincoln

Lincoln Debates McClellan

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Dressed in his signature long black dress coat and instantly recognizable with his jet black hair and beard, President Abraham Lincoln and his lesser-known, albeit dapper, presidential challenger and former New Jersey governor, Gen. George McClellan, stood before a crowd of lunching history buffs as they verbally sparred over issues of national importance circa 1864

The Coalition of the Northwest Bergen Historical Organizations hosted the Oct. 18 event at the Brick House, offering a look back at history as they pondered, "What if Lincoln and McClellan had debated?".

In the wake of election-time debates, this sounds like it was a fun event. I would love to have seen Lincoln mop the floor with McClellan in debate. One imagines he’d be Nixonian in his levels of flop-sweat.

via In Wyckoff, a what if: Lincoln debates McClellan : page all – NorthJersey.com.

Debunking Lincoln Quotes

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Looking through my daily alerts, I was set to post an article that contained a Lincoln quote that seemed very apropos in this election year of have and have-nots. As I’d never heard it quoted before, though, I thought I’d look into it to see how I could’ve missed such a great line. I’m glad I did – turns out this Washington Post reporter did the research for me, 5 years ago.

Moreover, the point of the passage is very un-Lincolnian. A corporate lawyer whose long and cunning labor on behalf of the railroads earned him a comfortable income, Lincoln was a vigorous champion of market capitalism, even when it drifted (as it tends to do) toward large concentrations of wealth. Many of his administration’s signal initiatives — the transcontinental railroad, for example — amounted to what liberals today would condemn as "corporate welfare." Lots of speculators got rich under Lincoln, as Gore notes. As Gore does not note, Lincoln seemed not to have minded.

Unless, of course, Gore’s quote from a trembling Abe was evidence of his real thinking.

It isn’t, though. It’s a fake.

via What Al Wishes Abe Said.

Milton Bradley

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Here is a sterling example of why I subscribe to Google Alerts, despite the links they return being 99% fluff or irrelevant: A random blogger made mention of this fascinating fact, Google Alerts picked it up, and now Wikipedia confirms. Turns out, there is a Civil War connection to that board game sitting in your closet! Who knew?

Milton Bradley’s ventures into the production of board games began with a large failure in his lithograph business. When he attempted to print and sell copies of the presidential nominee Abraham Lincoln, Bradley initially met with great success. After they were released for sale, a customer contacted him calling it a fraud and demanding his money back because the picture was not an accurate representation of Lincoln, who had decided to grow his distinctive beard after Bradley’s print was published. Suddenly, the prints were worthless, and Bradley burned those remaining in his possession.[1] In search of a lucrative alternative project in which to employ his drafting skills, Bradley found inspiration from an imported board game given to him by a friend. Concluding that he could produce and market a similar game to American consumers, Milton Bradley released The Checkered Game of Life in the winter of 1860.

via Milton Bradley – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lincoln’s Critics

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No, I’m not linking to an article about Ben Wade or Clement Vallandigham, but modern day critics viewing the President’s actions on celluloid (or whatever its digital equivalent is called!) The reviews for Spielberg’s Lincoln are looking pretty promising. Yay!

The LA Times praises Day-Lewis – whose other film credentials include My Left Foot and There Will Be Blood – saying: "Judging by both the events on-screen and in the room, Day-Lewis, a longtime Oscar favorite, solidified his status as a lead actor contender. He plays the lead role with an understated quality, often speaking in quiet, lyrical tones instead of the more scenery-chewing moments glimpsed in the trailer."

via Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln reviews – the critics’ reaction | Radio Times.

Apparent Hair for the Heir Apparent

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Witty title pilfered wholesale from John Hay, who wrote a little couplet commemorating this momentous day in history:

In 1860, 11-year-old Grace Bedell of Westfield, N.Y., wrote a letter to presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, suggesting he could improve his appearance by growing a beard.

I love Dave Barry‘s telling of this story, where the little girl followed up with a letter advising Lincoln to add some rouge and a string of pearls, but then “luckily”, the Civil War broke out.

via Today in History – Lincoln advised on looks, debate – Local – Gaston Gazette.

Looking for Lincoln’s DNA

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This is both interesting and yet horrific. A quest for Lincoln’s DNA, which is most easily found in the trail he left from the chair in Ford’s Theatre to the pillow in the Petersen House.

Due to DNA’s fragile nature, she had so far been unable to retrieve any DNA, which meant the project was in limbo until more artefacts could be sourced.

This would not be easy as “bits of dead presidents are hard to come by”, she said.

However, because Lincoln was shot in the head and “head wounds bleed abundantly” he was reported to have bled on “a lot of things” in the nine hours it took him to die, she said.

via Looking for Lincoln’s DNA | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News.

Steven Spielberg’s ‘Gettysburg Address’

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Director Steven Spielberg will deliver the keynote address at an observance commemorating the 149th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s "Gettysburg Address."

Park officials in central Pennsylvania noted Tuesday that Spielberg’s remarks will come days after the release of his film "Lincoln," which stars Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role.

My first reaction to this news was a cynical eye roll, knowing Spielberg has a movie to promote. My second was to remember that many people greeted Lincoln’s speech the same way. As Sarah Vowell reminds us in Assassination Vacation, the now-revered words were conceived as a stump speech on the eve of a tough election year.

via Steven Spielberg’s ’Gettysburg Address’? Director To Speak At Commemorative Event.

The ‘Lincoln’ clip won last night’s debate

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The trailers for Spielberg’s Lincoln film have arrived. If you haven’t seen them yet, they’re worth a look. I have a feeling I’ll be rolling my eyes a lot, but there’s no denying it looks fantastic.

The second ‘Lincoln’ clip is so strong that it won last night’s presidential debate – Celebritology 2.0 – The Washington Post.

The Lincoln Douglas Chats

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Appleton veterinarian E.H. Graves lived in Illinois in 1858 and later claimed he drove Lincoln and Douglas between two of the debates: "Douglas was short, round, dressed in broadcloth and wore a silk hat. … Lincoln was tall, raw-boned and awkward. … He and Douglas would tell stories and chaff each other. They were the best of friends personally, both capital storytellers."

This little article reminds us that, as much as Lincoln and Douglas were bitter political rivals, they were also longtime friends and acquaintances. That’s one of the things that even the best biographies tend not to mention, beyond the tantalizing fact that Mary Lincoln had been courted by both of them.

via Odd Wisconsin: Lincoln looked grotesque, awkward.

Day Lewis as Lincoln

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I’m getting excited for Spielberg’s Lincoln film. He’s not my favourite director ever, but his movies are always entertaining. Day-Lewis isn’t an actor I’ve seen much of, but I know his method and the results are outstanding. I hope this turns out to be the best Civil War film out there. (Sadly, it won’t take much to best the competition!)