Lincoln, Douglas, and Speed

[Dan Pearson]

Am I the only one who thinks that the odd component in this portrait is Speed? Laurie, I did not see if you mentioned whether it was Joshua or James Speed depicted. But either one would have been an odd choice. Were it Joshua, the relationship among the three would have been quite early, and certainly Springfield centered. Speed was a merchant, and not involved in any sort of legal career. James, who was attorney general, did not really enter the Lincoln story until later in the presidential years--long after Douglas's death. Neither Speed had a New York connection that I know of, but rather hailed from Kentucky. Either would be a strange choice for a triple portrait. Could the third person not be Speed, but another person?