At the end, did MTL have a sense of vindication

[Juan Marrero]

Mrs. Lincoln's story is so sad after the Presidency that she would give Job a run for the money. After Tad died, she was arguably being quite reasonable when she declared a preference to join her late loved ones over her semi-nomadic existence.

Would it be possible to say, however, that she was at least consoled by the notion that, despite the tragedies, the Lincoln story was one of the great triumphs of the human spirit? Or, historically, was it too soon for the country to have gained such a perspective. I've read that during her lifetime, it was Grant, not Lincoln, who was the preeminent hero of the Civil War and that Lincoln became a secular demi-god around the time of the 1909 centennial.

Of former first ladies, I would say that the one (for vastly different reasons) to have had almost as sad a post-presidency was Pat Nixon. Mrs. Nixon, in my view, did everything right, but for reasons beyond her control was pretty well forgotten after her husband resigned. Perhaps, both Mary and Pat had had their fill of publicity by the time they left the White House and didn't miss the spotlight.

I believe both these ladies were alot finer than the treatment they got. But the case of each has something to say about how the President's reputation may or may not reflect on the first lady. Mrs. Lincoln's poor standing hasn't been helped by Lincoln's reputation and Mrs. Nixon became an innocent victim of Watergate.