"Potholes" in the President Abraham Lincoln History Roadway

[David Lockmiller]

In the book Lincoln Talks, A Biography in Anecdote by Emanuel Hertz, there are at least three stories that are not valid references (i.e. "Potholes") on the Roadway of actual President Abraham Lincoln History:

1. "Tug of War" at pages 520 - 529 attributed to A.R. Cazauran as published in Gunter's Magazine, Feb. 1905
2. "Tad and Stanton" at pages 215-217 falsely attributed to Thomas F. Pendel in his book Thirty-Six Years in the White House
3. "Tad's Signal" at pages 668-69 also falsely attributed to Thomas Pendel in his book Thirty-Six Years at the White House
   

Emanuel Hertz writes in the introduction to his book at page ix: "Precisely, however, because each anecdote has come to us refracted through a different point of view, we may hope that in their totality all personal equations will have canceled one another out, 'corrected' each other, as the scientists say; and that thus we may possibly approach closer to an objective portrait of Lincoln than we could have done by following the guidance of any one man."

What these words actually mean in practice is that some of the stories that Emanuel Hertz has transcribed into his book may not be true. So, reader beware! In other words, if Hertz presents to you a "sunny" story, be sure to carry your umbrella (as Rob Wick advises).

It is only through modern technology applications, such as quotation checks with GoogleBooks and access to Internet Archives (as Gene would suggest), that validity of individual stories can be ascertained with any degree of certainty.

And, always bear in mind the words of wisdom from Plutarch: "So very difficult a matter is it to trace and find out the truth of anything by history."