Lincoln speech on the Bible?

[Anita]

(01-09-2017 10:22 PM)Rob Wick Wrote:  

Quote:Did Edwards have a motive to make up such a story?

I think he did. I'm currently reading David Herbert Donald's biography of Herndon, called Lincoln's Herndon. It was originally Donald's doctoral dissertation written as a student of James G. Randall. I have the Da Capo Press reprint, which was published in 1989 and includes corrections made by Donald as well as a new introduction. I started reading this book long before the question of Lincoln, the alleged lecture, and James Smith came up. Today, as luck (or coincidence) would have it, I reached Chapter 17, titled "Judas in Springfield." I don't want to spend a lot of time going through what Donald wrote (I would highly recommend the book, even though Donald's strong anti-Herndon bias, which he received from the Randalls, is on display for all to see. That said, Donald admits in the new introduction that he was much too harsh on Herndon in the 1948 edition, which Carl Sandburg wrote the foreword to, by the way), but after Ward Hill Lamon's book was published, Herndon was on the receiving end of a great deal of criticism. What strikes me is Donald's assertion that people weren't angry because Herndon lied, but rather because he told a truth that should have been kept quiet.

Donald notes that, interestingly, Chauncey Black, who was the ghostwriter for Lamon's book, developed a friendship with Herndon and was negotiating a potential deal that would allow Black to restore much of the Lamon biography that publishers insisted on excising against Black's wishes by using Herndon's Lincoln Record. Black wrote Herndon a letter informing him of James Reed's lecture, which Donald points out bypassed Herndon's notice as he was living on his farm and not in the city of Springfield. After hearing what he considered to be Reed's personal attack on him, Herndon vowed to either write an article or deliver a lecture on Lincoln's religion from birth to his election to the presidency. With this brewing, Black informed his publishers that Herndon's lecture would be like catnip to potential readers of Black's new book.

Here is a copy of Herndon's lecture, along with the side presented by Reed and others. Interestingly, Matheny and John Todd Stuart tried to back out of their assertions, which Herndon discusses, which everyone can read for themselves. However, I do want to quote what Donald said about Herndon's lecture.

"As a critique of Reed's article, Herndon's lecture showed considerable skill. One after another he tested Reed's witnesses and showed that they were prejudiced, badly informed, or imperfectly quoted. The minister had cited letters from John Todd Stuart and James M. Matheny denying that they wrote the statements attributed to them in the Lamon biography. Quite true, answered Herndon; they did not write the words. [Italics in original] He himself had written the statements during his interviews with these men. Their denials were just a quibble over words. Actually, he went on to reveal, Matheny did not write the retraction which Reed quoted; "it was prepared for him by Mr. Reed, and Matheny is old enough to have known that deception and wrong...were intended." That said, Donald then writes, "All in all, the lecture on Lincoln's religion revealed Herndon at his worst. It was characterized by the dogmatic conviction of his own righteousness, by intolerance for the opinions of others, and by loose reasoning." (pg. 277)

So I think it's quite possible that Edwards would have reason for lying in trying to protect the memory of Abraham and the reputation of Mary.


Best
Rob

Rob,
Thanks for replying to my questions. Your insights and suggested reading have been very helpful. I read Herndon's lecture on the link you provided. Yes, I can see why you say it's possible he would lie to protect Lincoln and Mary. And I'm sure all Mary's family in Springfield, including Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, were devastated as well by what Herndon proclaimed so publicly. Rob you said "What strikes me is Donald's assertion that people weren't angry because Herndon lied, but rather because he told a truth that should have been kept quiet." I'm sure many believed "Some things are better left unsaid." I believe it's possible that Noah Brooks also could have lied to protect Lincoln's reputation.

What did Robert Lincoln say about Herndon's lecture/article regarding his father's religious beliefs? Did Robert Lincoln attend church?