Damn'd on Earth. Was Lincoln's martyrdom a form of suicide?

[Mylye2222]

https://www.amazon.com/Damnd-Earth-Abrah...D9D2FHF2V1

I'm currently reading this.
It explores the possibility that Lincoln might in fact had looking for his own murder, unsubsconciously.
The author rewiews all the painful events Lincoln had to experience while living in the Executive Mansion and conclude that in some way Lincoln might have deliberately exposed himself to danger, because of his fatalistic temperament and his depressive disposal.

It's a good analysis I advise to everyone!

[LincolnMan]

Let us know what you find. On the surface, I don’t think Lincoln wanted to die-on the surface. He loved Mary and his two sons. The North had won the war and slavery was defeated. He voiced future plans he wanted to undertake with Mary. We start to get on very shaking ground when we speculate about unconscious motives. At least, I think so, anyway. Still I’m sure the book will prove interesting!

[Mylye2222]

(09-08-2020 04:52 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Let us know what you find. On the surface, I don’t think Lincoln wanted to die-on the surface. He loved Mary and his two sons. The North had won the war and slavery was defeated. He voiced future plans he wanted to undertake with Mary. We start to get on very shaking ground when we speculate about unconscious motives. At least, I think so, anyway. Still I’m sure the book will prove interesting!

Pretty shaking of the grounds actually. The author analyzes Lincoln's behavior and conclude that he might not have been conscious of that inner wish of death. But repeatedly he suggests that by his actions, Lincoln wasn't afraid at all of an assasination.

[RJNorton]

(09-08-2020 04:52 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  He voiced future plans he wanted to undertake with Mary.

Good memory, Bill. In a December 17, 1866, letter to Reverend James Smith, former minister of Springfield's First Presbyterian Church, Mary Lincoln wrote:

"You can readily believe that no place is home to me now and I have sometimes thought, in the course of a year or two, I would carry out the intentions of my beloved husband, who proposed the last week of his precious life that at the expiration of his second term, we would visit Europe and he appeared to anticipate much pleasure from a visit to Palestine - But a few days after this conversation the crown of immortality was his - he was rejoicing in the presence of his Saviour, and was in the midst of the Heavenly Jerusalem, where his troubles were ended, and his life had been sacrificed for his love to his Country...."

[LincolnMan]

Wonderful excerpt of Mary’s letter. Heartfelt and touching...

[Rob Wick]

Allen Guelzo, among others, has generally shown that Lincoln was a fatalist, or believed that whatever was going to happen would and that man could not interfere or change things.

Quote:he might not have been conscious of that inner wish of death. But repeatedly he suggests that by his actions, Lincoln wasn't afraid at all of an assasination.

The first part strikes me as nonsensical and very difficult to prove, while the second would fall in line with Lincoln's fatalism.

I would be interested to know the background of this author. This book smells like a self-published work.

Here is the link to Guelzo's article.

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/262986...w=fulltext

Best
Rob