THE PRESIDENCY by HUGH SIDEY: Trying to Get Right with Lincoln

• Share

(2 of 2)

To the extent that anybody can measure public sentiment in those days, it appears that Lincoln had a majority of the Union with him during most of his presidency. The Republicans carried Congress in 1862, and Lincoln was re-elected by a solid majority in 1864.

More important, unlike the situation with Nixon, the general attacks on Lincoln were rarely if ever on his character. They were attacks on his policy and his decisions. "There were never any accusations that Lincoln was personally crooked or bad," says Catton. "And remember, the country was in a civil war. The Archangel Gabriel couldn't have avoided criticism in that time."

"Lincoln's critics did not accuse him of dishonesty or malfeasance," says Current. "Nobody asked, 'Would you buy a used horse from this man?' " "Nobody accused Lincoln of personal involvement in corruption," insists Donald, now teaching at Harvard. "The Nixon comparison is weak and erroneous. It is one thing to say that a man is foolish or misguided and another to say a man is breaking the law for his own use."

Nixon was right about one thing, though. The fellow who would object least to lending his stovepipe hat to a President would be A. Lincoln. Wherever he is, Lincoln is probably telling a funny story about all the new White House friends he has collected in the last hundred years or so.