Lincoln Research

[David Lockmiller]

(04-20-2017 06:18 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Telling truth is a sublime and noble thing to do, the claiming of which, especially when challenging "established/popular views", IMO does require some evidence, some more in-depthness, some q.e.d. (quod est demonstrandum). . . .

I had to Google this Latin phrase although I thought I knew what it meant in general from the last word: Q.E.D. (also written QED) is an initialism of the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, meaning "what was to be demonstrated", or, less formally, "thus it has been demonstrated." The verb tense may be different.


This use of this Latin phrase by Eva Elisabeth reminded me of a passage from F.B. Carpenter's book, "Six Months at the White House" (1879) at pages 75 and 78:

Mr. George Thompson, the English anti-slavery orator, delivered an address in the House of Representatives, to a large audience, April 6, 1864. Among the distinguished persons present was President Lincoln, who was greatly interested. The following morning, Mr. Thompson and party, consisting of Rev. John Pierpont, Oliver Johnson, and the Hon. Lewis Clephane called at the White House.

A characteristic incident occurred toward the close of the interview. When the President ceased speaking, the Rev. Mr. Pierpont, impressed with his earnestness, turned to Mr. Thompson, and repeated a Latin quotation from the classics. Mr. Lincoln, leaning forward in his chair, looked from one to the other inquiringly, and then remarked, with a smile, "Which, I suppose you are both aware, I do not understand."

---

(04-21-2017 04:03 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  So far and without, the "various angles" respectively what the reader gets IMO isn't "the truth" but one "blind man's description" of it (of an elephant).

I think that this is an excellent point that Eva Elisabeth makes with her "elephant" cartoon. One must consider the "whole" animal to make the requisite sense of it. I think that Abraham Lincoln is much more complex than any other elephant, figuratively speaking.