Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[David Lockmiller]

David, may I ask for your comment on that allegedly A. L., regarding Mary's tempers, once said: "It does her a power of good, and it doesn't hurt me any." (As for the reliability - I'm afraid I can only give Stefan Lorrant in 1955 as a source.)

The following is from Professor Burlingame’s book “Abraham Lincoln, A Life” Vol. TWO at page 782 and quotes from a book written by General Grant’s aide, Major Adam Badeau, who chronicles a series of events occurring around April 1, 1865, involving Mary Todd Lincoln and her husband, the President of the United States Abraham Lincoln:

Badeau reported that Mary Lincoln over the next few days “repeatedly attacked her husband in the presence of officers because of Mrs. Griffin and Mrs. Ord.” The spectacle dismayed Badeau, who later wrote: “I never suffered greater humiliation and pain . . . than when I saw the Head of State, the man who carried all the cares of the nation at such a crisis – subjected to this inexpressible public mortification.” Lincoln “bore it as Christ might have done; with an expression of pain and sadness that cut one to the heart, but with supreme calmness and dignity.” With “old-time plainness” he called his wife “mother.” He also “pleaded with eyes and tones, and endeavored to explain or palliate the offenses of others, till she turned on him like a tigress; and then he walked away, hiding that noble, ugly face that we might not catch the full expression of its misery.”

Eva, may I ask your comment regarding Mary's tempers and the possible deleterious affects upon her husband at that time.

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David, I don't see what else your third quote proves than that he was figuring out the possible changes and consequences, and whether he wanted to make a lifelong lasting decision at all. He might have done the same in case the bride's name had been Ann Rutledge. Speed was, regarding his wedding day and decision, nervous in the same way (as many other grooms and brides) - which was why A. L. sounded out him - so I assume you doubt Speed's happiness in his married life, too?

I don't doubt Speed's happiness in his married life. Lincoln wanted additional assurances from Speed.

I believe that on a scale of one to ten that Lincoln felt that the chances of Speed's marriage to Fanny would be a failure were at the minimal rating of one.

There is no record anywhere of Lincoln having any doubts whatsoever about his anticipated happiness in his well-planned forthcoming marriage to Ann.

Professor David Herbert Donald wrote: “He (Lincoln) had a reason for asking Speed to reply quickly, for he was once more approaching marriage with Mary Todd.”

As to Lincoln's anticipated happiness in a possible marriage to Mary Todd, I quote once again Lincoln contemporaneously saying to the sister of Sarah Richard (Speed’s former girlfriend): "Mrs. Butler, it would just kill me to marry Mary Todd."