[38] N. and H. i. 102. Lamon regards him as “a
nominal Jackson man” in contradistinction to
a “whole-hog Jackson man;” as “Whiggish”
rather than actually a Whig. Lamon, 123, 126.
[39] Herndon, 105. But see N. and H. i. 109.
[40] The whole story of these two love affairs is
given at great length by Herndon and by Lamon.
Other biographers deal lightly with these episodes.
Nicolay and Hay scantly refer to them, and, in their
admiration for Mr. Lincoln, even permit themselves
to speak of that most abominable letter to Mrs. Browning
as “grotesquely comic.” (Vol. i. p. 192.)
It is certainly true that the revelations of Messrs.
Herndon and Lamon are painful, and in part even humiliating;
and it would be most satisfactory to give these things
the go-by. But this seems impossible; if one
wishes to study and comprehend the character of Mr.
Lincoln, the strange and morbid condition in which
he was for some years at this time cannot possibly
be passed over. It may even be said that it would
be unfair to him to do so; and a truthful idea of
him, on the whole, redounds more to his credit than
a maimed and mutilated one, even though the mutilation
seems to consist in lopping off and casting out of
sight a deformity. Psychologically, perhaps physiologically,
these episodes are interesting, and as aiding a comprehension
of Mr. Lincoln’s nature they are indispensable;
but historically they are of no consequence, and I
am glad that the historical character of this work
gives me the right to dwell upon them lightly.
[41] It is amusing-to compare this Western oratory
with the famous outburst of the younger Pitt which
he opened with those familiar words: “The
atrocious crime of being a young man which the honorable
gentleman has with such spirit and decency charged
upon me,” etc., etc.
[42] For the whole history of the rise, progress,
and downfall of this mania, see Ford, Hist. of
Illinois, ch. vi.
[43] Ford, Hist. of Illinois, 186; Lamon, 198-201;
Herndon, 176, 180. N. and H., i. 137-139, endeavor
to give a different color to this transaction, but
they make out no case as against the statements of
writers who had such opportunities to know the truth
as had Governor Ford, Lamon, and Herndon.
[44] N. and H. i. 160; Holland, 74; Lamon, 212; but
see Herndon, 193.
[45] For the story of The Skinning of Thomas,
belonging to this campaign, see Herndon, 197; Lamon,
231; and for the Radford story, see N. and H. i. 172;
Lamon, 230.
[46] Lamon, 216, 217. Nicolay and Hay, i. 162,
speak of “a number” of the members, among
whom Lincoln was “prominent,” making this
exit; but there seem to have been only two besides
him.
[47] N. and H. i. 173-177.
LOVE; A DUEL; LAW, AND CONGRESS
