Victorian Culture - Oh that Noxious Weed! Cigars in the 19th Century

[Eva Elisabeth]

Albert Beveridge recalled the following dialogue between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas: At a reception hosting Douglas during the congressional campaigns of 1854, Lincoln declined a drink, whereupon Douglas exclaimed: "Why! are you a member of the Temperance Society?" Lincoln replied: "No! I am not a member of any Temperance Society ... but I am temperate in this, that I don't drink anything."

And when hearing that Lincoln only served "Adam's ale" (cold water) to the committee (headed by George Ashmun, on May 19, 1860) notifying him of his nomination as presidential candidate of the Republican Party, a journalist and temperance advocate inquired of Lincoln's temperance sentiments. In a letter, Lincoln stated: "Having kept house sixteen years, and having never held the 'cup' to the lips of my friends then, my judgment was that I should not, in my new position, change my habit in this respect."

Historian D. Donald added the remark to the second incident that right before this visit, the Lincolns had a struggle over whether liquor should be served to the visitors.