Remembering Honest Abe

hi Letty, would you post the lyrics to the song? i can't seem to find them. thanks.

Once and Irishman--always an Irishman, hey, Mikey?

Here ya go:

http://freepages.music.rootsweb.com/~edgmon/stkathleen.htm

Never quite understood if Kathleen were alive or dead.

Mikey, that should be "once AN Irishman."

Another interest fact about Abe:

http://www.americanpresident.org/kotrain/courses/AL/AL_Family_Life.htm

It seems as though, like Poe, Lincoln was obsessed with death.

Cross reference to New Haven's thread on Lincoln quotes.

Good morning Letty,

I thought it INTERESTING you asked, '--what do you know about Lincoln the man?--...
for even though there are hundreds of books and essays, none of us can 'know' him through his OWN 'live conversation'.
I understand that you are inspiring discussion here, from the volumes of history- but I wonder what it would have been like, to 'be in the presence of- and talk with- the man, Abraham Lincoln.

I am going to tell you- I have known a man to whom I ascribe the 'mentally private arrogance' of Lincoln. They both have/had some charitable and patriotic thoughts... And are/were sincere about leading men to good paths. BUT... ( There is always a 'but' after that kind of sentence)

I sense a lack of humility in him/them, ones who 'protesteth' too much to be humbly serving. Both Lincoln and my 'reference man'.

I read in another place, something about someone admiring Lincoln. I will paste the comment- and you can decide if you think it sincere.

'A simple man at best, that is all I strive to be. The
essence of anyone is what they quite accidently (sic) turn out to be.
No great story here. I've tried to be as honest as my hero Abe
Lincoln. I've tried to learn what love is by knowing my family. "

Ah well- I demonstrate here, we just do NOT know the real person... until we hear and see for ourselves. Then-
Are our instincts telling us true? Or are we just guessing? And does it matter to one besides ourselves?


On the subject of Lincoln's PRESIDENCY- (My opinion since studying it): He had a 'difficult' time in history in which to 'lead' a young nation. I think he may have done it as well as anyone could have.
It was TIME for men to stop enslaving other men, and that had to happen, in spite of government.
Lincoln, however, had to manage the emotion of MANY classes- and they would NOT be managed. So they battled themselves bedraggled, and too tired to care anymore, picked up the pieces and lived quietly until they died; leaving the restoration of the nation to the youth, who had both energy and ideas.

It WAS a great determiner of what we are today, Letty. (And you are an "instant thought provoker" [no smiley on quick reply, but I am ]

Jackie,

So many presidents who served in times of war, become bigger than themselves in the hindsight of history. Had the South won, we might be reading something entirely different about Abraham Lincoln.

The comparison between your friend and Lincoln, caused me to pause and think. I remember the remarks my father made when MacArthur gave his speech about "I'm Just an Old Soldier....." They weren't very flattering.

So you see, Jackie, everything is interpreted in the light of the setting event. It behooves us all to seek primary sources if we want to arrive at fair conclusions. Lincoln was one helluva writer and an excellent politician.
As to the man, we will really never know, and perhaps that's as it should be.

I was stunned to hear my Irish friend, whom I admired for his knowledge, once make the remark: Better to have a savvy crook as president, than an honest man who is incompetent. WOW!

Jackie, Your response was truly good and rhetorically sound. Thank you.