Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Eva Elisabeth]

Why did he frame the romance as a major new discovery?

(In any case - whenever he learned this) Money? Love and romance, especially "newly discovered presidental affairs" sell (think of all the yellow press magazines)...and it makes sense to embellish and dramatize things for that purpose, doesn't it? If I remember correcly, Herndon at the time he came up with this was in need of money (and had also sold a copy of his documents to Lamon upon a written agreement not to publish his own biography of Lincoln for at least ten years in exchange for $2,000 cash and an agreement to receive up to $2,000 of the book's royalties.).

Allow me this general remark: Maybe I'm not that smart or knowledgeable, but I admit, I often get lost in the length of the posts and quotes on this thread, especially as for what a quote (or which passage of it) shall "prove" (better: indicate) what (assumption, believe, or so), and why at all it (in such detail) is important. (Hope you understand what I mean.)