Laurie,I agree with your statement!

And I agree with both of you! This additionally came to my mind:
Nurse Pomroy told President Lincoln about the loss of her own husband and two children and the peace she had achieved despite these losses. When Mr. Lincoln asked her how she achieve this peace, she replied: "Simply by trusting in God and feeling that He does all things well." Mrs. Pomroy explained that her consolation and submission came slowly. "Your experience will help me to bear my afflictions," Mr. Lincoln responded.

She also told Mr. Lincoln that he was the subject of prayers of Christians around the world. "I am glad to hear that. I want them to pray me for me. I need their prayers. I will try to go to God with my sorrows," replied Mr. Lincoln. "I wish I had that childlike faith you speak of, and I trust He will give it to me. I had a good Christian mother, and her prayers have followed me thus far through life."
(Josiah G. Holland: "Holland's Life of Abraham Lincoln", pp. 435-436.)

(11-29-2014 10:39 AM)L Verge Wrote:  After the deaths of Eddie and Willie - and knowing the limitations of Tad - I'm sure that Robert was the favored child...

One more comment on this: At Petersen House, when A. L. failed to respond to Mary's request: “Do speak to me!", Mary wanted Tad to be sent for, saying “she knew he would speak to him because he loved him so well.”
(John Palmer Usher to his wife, April 15,1865.)

Thank you Eva! When my wife died,the suport was great,now,it seems to be forgotten!

Eva, you may very well be right that Lincoln loved his other sons more than Robert, but I find that hard to believe. Perhaps it was a more distant type of love given the long times that the father was away from the son during the early bonding years. I just can't imagine the personality of Lincoln being cold to any of his children.

I also base some of my thoughts on the fact that the first-born son in every family is usually the one who is expected to achieve greatness -- or at least is pushed in that direction. In many cases, it is an unspoken given. Societal norms may have pushed Robert into feeling that the burden was on him to become the heir-apparent to his father's reputation - and maybe he didn't like that burden.

(12-01-2014 03:11 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Eva, you may very well be right that Lincoln loved his other sons more than Robert, but I find that hard to believe.

Yes, I find that hard to believe, too. My point was just that IF Lincoln had a favoured child, THEN it was most likely not Robert. As for the cool relationship - "distant", as you worded it, is sure a better expression. Also I believe Robert loved his younger brothers dearly (even if Herndon seemed having felt differently).

I don't recall ever reading this before, but it's an interesting story about Lincoln's faith

From "the Story Life of Lincoln", by Wayne Whipple: How Lincoln and His Cabinet Received the News of Lee's Surrender

https://archive.org/stream/storylifelinc...0/mode/1up

(01-10-2015 09:16 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I don't recall ever reading this before, but it's an interesting story about Lincoln's faith

From "the Story Life of Lincoln", by Wayne Whipple: How Lincoln and His Cabinet Received the News of Lee's Surrender

https://archive.org/stream/storylifelinc...0/mode/1up

I don't recall having read this account either. It is a nice story but I can't help but question it's veracity. Has anyone seen it corroborated somewhere else? The timeline of this account doesn't seem to fit with where Lincoln was and when the news of the surrender was received.

April 9. Lee surrenders (formalized at about 4:00 pm I think); Lincoln was en route back to Washington when this occurred (Lincoln Day by Day). Word had already been received in Washington by the time Lincoln arrived about sundown. Crowds in front of the White House called for the President that evening. He responded briefly but pleasantly. (Lincoln Day by Day)

April 10. A salute of guns "at day dawn" marked Lee's Surrender (Welles diary). Cabinet meets (Lincoln Day by Day {reference is Lincoln the President by JG Randall - I don't have that book so I can't check for his citation}) - it could have happened then I guess. However, Welles only reports that he called on the President and no mention is made of a cabinet meeting occurring this day (Welles diary).

April 11. Cabinet meets and main topic is of "the cotton question". (Welles diary).

All this is not to say it didn't happen, I would just suspect the story would have been corroborated by someone (like Welles) who is likely to have been there.

Hugh McCulloch, Lincoln's last Secretary of the Treasury, was asked about this in 1891. He responded:

"The description of what occurred at the Executive Mansion, when the intelligence was received of the surrender of the Confederate forces, which you quote from the 'Western Christian Advocate,' is not only absolutely groundless but absurd. After I became Secretary of the Treasury I was present at every cabinet meeting, and I never saw Mr. Lincoln or any of his ministers upon his knees or in tears."

I had my doubts, thanks for the clarification.

GOD works for all of us in very strange ways!

To me- it didn't sound like an action that Lincoln would take. We sure do have a keen sense for all things Lincoln, don't we?

(01-11-2015 05:49 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hugh McCulloch, Lincoln's last Secretary of the Treasury, was asked about this in 1891. He responded:

"The description of what occurred at the Executive Mansion, when the intelligence was received of the surrender of the Confederate forces, which you quote from the 'Western Christian Advocate,' is not only absolutely groundless but absurd. After I became Secretary of the Treasury I was present at every cabinet meeting, and I never saw Mr. Lincoln or any of his ministers upon his knees or in tears."

Roger, thanks for providing this quote. Out of curiosity, where was it published and why was the question asked to McCulloch?

Scott, I found the McCulloch quote in a letter he wrote to author John Eleazer Remsburg. His book is entitled Abraham Lincoln: Was He a Christian? (published in 1893)

I found McCulloch's quote in this section.

(01-11-2015 05:06 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Scott, I found the McCulloch quote in a letter he wrote to author John Eleazer Remsburg. His book is entitled Abraham Lincoln: Was He a Christian? (published in 1893)

I found McCulloch's quote in this section.

Thanks Roger!!

You old "War-Horse"-Roger!