Probably the greatest President of them all, Abraham Lincoln still retains cult status today almost 160 years after he was so brutally assassinated. Lincoln made his name as a lawyer in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois and slowly but surely, he rose to stardom especially during the famous debates between himself and Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Senator from Illinois that preceded the 1960 election.
The momentous events of Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency certainly lent themselves to historic record. He is perhaps best known through his letters, large numbers of which have remained for posterity and that have been studied quite avidly. Lincoln’s speeches have also been recorded; these have gained steadily in popularity and have been quoted several times.
Lincoln’s dignified approach to the problem of slavery that was tearing the nation apart eventually resulted in the now legendary Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln had a clear eloquence in his being and also was possessed of a very clear and progressive mind for argument. His speeches usually lasted for several hours at a time and while his close friends saw him intimately as a person of considerable wisdom, there was also an ungainly humanity which was personified by his very tall figure and expressive intensity.
Although having an ungainly personality and being quite tall at six feet four inches, Lincoln possessed a certain level of gravitas that could not be shaken off. His stooping walk and wrinkled face made him seem older than his years and although he seemed sad upon first glance, people who knew him confirmed that he would open up when warming up to conversation. ‘He is of the ages now’ could not have been a more poignant description of him after his death.
References:
Holzer, Harold (2008). Lincoln President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860–1861. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-8947-4.
McPherson, James M. (2008). Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief. Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-59420-191-2.
Miller, Richard Lawrence (2011). Lincoln and His World: The Rise to National Prominence, 1843–1853. McFarland.ISBN 978-0-7864-5928-5., vol 3. of detailed biography
