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Reviews
| Abraham Lincoln, President-Elect: The Four Critical Months from Election to Inauguration. By Larry D. Mansch (Jefferson, North Carolina, and London: McFarland & Company, Inc. Pp. x, 228. Illus., maps, notes, bib., index. $45. www.mcfarlandpub.com; 800–253–2187)
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This oversize (7 × 10) book has sturdy, illustrated covers, finished in a durable plastic glaze. The front cover also has a little-known portrait of Lincoln, taken when his beard was just beginning to show, superimposed on a picture of his inauguration. Much of the book is background, sketching the life of Lincoln from birth to 1860. Before that commences, a prologue gives an unusually detailed description of events in Springfield, Illinois, on August 3, 4, and 8, 1860. On the third came a tornado, destroying several homes and places of business. On the fourth, the proud Republicans of Springfield dedicated their new Wigwam, with its tornado - damaged roof. It was a smaller version of the building in which Lincoln had been nominated in Chicago. The dedication featured several political speeches by friends of the candidate, including his partner of many years, William Herndon. This, in turn, was a warm-up for the "Great Lincoln Rally" of August 8; a day of parades, speeches, displays, and political high spirits. The event attracted an astonishing 50,000 or more participants, many arriving by special trains. |
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Taking their inspiration from primarily left-leaning historians in the United Kingdom and France, a number of historians of the United States have written extensively about parades, public demonstrations, and street theater, as creative forces in popular politics. Not surprisingly, their articles and books have concentrated on the American Revolution, Jeffersonian Republicans in their pro-French phase, and Jacksonian Democrats. But politicians normally considered conservative could not resist staging these effective spectacles, hence the "log cabin and hard cider" campaign of 1840 for William Henry Harrison. While more than half of Larry D. Mansch's book constitutes a retelling of familiar events in Lincoln's life, and especially in the months leading up to his inauguration, it should be most interesting to specialists for his detailed descriptions of public spectacles. First came the Springfield extravaganzas just mentioned, and, toward the end of the book, the spirited political rallies organized for Lincoln's long and roundabout railroad journey from Springfield to Washington. Here are the major stopping-points for the president-elect on his roundabout trip to the capital city: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus (Ohio), Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Albany, New York City (with a side visit to northern New Jersey), Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. But, as every biographer is sure to mention, Lincoln slipped out of Harrisburg in disguise and traveled on night trains to Washington by way of Philadelphia and Baltimore. |
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One often reads that Lincoln said very little about his intentions during the months when he was president-elect, and was especially uninformative in the many speeches he made on this long railroad trip. Yet his speeches were, as always, well crafted, and full of respect for the patriotism of his audiences. That he stood by his party's platform was always clear, and so was his desire to maintain peace and union. The importance of these many meetings, rallies, and speeches—all well covered in regional newspapers—was that hundreds of thousands saw and heard, or read about, this new president. Furthermore, in each important city, Lincoln could confer with local political leaders. By the time he was inaugurated, Lincoln was no longer the little-known lawyer from Sangamon County, Illinois. Thanks to a vigorous presidential campaign waged on his behalf, widespread press coverage, and his grand pre-inaugural tour, he had become a familiar figure. |
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