Lincoln Discussion Symposium

Charles H. Constable (Peel-police constables; John Constable - artist).

Hurrah! Well done Susan.
Yes "Peelers" = Constables. John Constable painted The Haywain and the Cornfield

Charles H Constable ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Constable

"In 1847, Abraham Lincoln defended Robert Matson, a slave owner who was trying to retrieve his fugitive slaves. Matson had brought the slaves from his Kentucky plantation to work on land he owned in Illinois. The slaves were represented by Orlando Ficklin, Usher Linder, and Charles H. Constable. The slaves ran away while in Illinois and believed that they were free, knowing that the Northwest Ordinance forbade slavery in Illinois. In this case, Lincoln invoked the right of transit, which allowed slaveholders to take their slaves temporarily into free territory. Lincoln also stressed that Matson did not intend the slaves to remain permanently in Illinois.

Even with these arguments, the judge in Coles County ruled against Lincoln, and the slaves were set free. This was part of a principle "once free, always free," which was adopted in Illinois and other free states. One source described Constable at the time of the Matson slave case to be "the best-educated lawyer at the bar."

I would have been at a loss without the artist clue. I was thinking "bobbies" which was leaving me cold on the Lincoln front.

(08-16-2018 07:02 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote: [ -> ]I would have been at a loss without the artist clue. I was thinking "bobbies" which was leaving me cold on the Lincoln front.

Busy day at work, but I took a look at that clue also and kept thinking about Peel organizing the London police force and the term "bobbies." Then I decided I was getting nowhere and decided to earn my paycheck.

I think 'Peelers' was a very old name (Victorian in fact) for the police. When I was growing up in London the only people that called the cops 'Bobbies' were the tourists or very posh people. In the area of London I lived the locals called them The Old Bill ... or another name that I wont use here.

What is the name of the person who wrote this?

(08-30-2018 05:37 AM)RJNorton Wrote: [ -> ]What is the name of the person who wrote this?

John Nicolay?

I am sorry, Michael, but it's not John Nicolay.

you sure?
Ok, what about Joseph L. Gilbert ? ( with any luck I can get through all the shorthand writers before the others wake up)

(08-30-2018 07:00 AM)AussieMick Wrote: [ -> ]you sure?

Yes. The answer is not any of President Lincoln's secretaries.

If not Gilbert, what about Charles Hale (journo for Boston Daily Advertiser) ?

Ben Pittman ?

Michael and Gene, all good guesses but the correct person has not yet been named.

OK, this seems to be Stenographie, shorthand, the persons who I'd think of besides the secretaries are James Tanner and Homer Bates?!

I agree with Eva -- James Tanner, who took notes at the deathbed. Another wild guess would be Louis Weichmann. Was the study of shorthand part of the curriculum at the business school he ran in Indiana?