Robert Todd Lincoln --The vitals

[Gene C]

Many historians feel the Cooper Union Address delivered on February 27, 1860, propelled Abraham Lincoln to the 1860 Republican nomination.

I am curious if anyone has an opinion....was Robert exaggerating?....would Abraham Lincoln not have accepted the invitation to speak in New York City had the trip not also afforded the opportunity for him to visit his son at Exeter?

I have read that Robert was somewhat embarrassed by his father's appearance. The way he looked, the clothes he wore, his mid western way of talking. Robert's friends seemed to be more impressed with Mr. Lincoln and what he had to say than Robert did. That's not uncommon, to Robert he was just "Dad". To everyone else, he was an important national figure. Robert didn't see him that way.

IMO, Lincoln would have gone to NY City, regardless of what Robert was doing, but it probably helped that Robert was in Exeter. I believe other speaking opportunities came as a result of his Cooper Union address, since it was printed in many of the New England newspapers and was well received.