Lincoln's Diplomacy

[Liz Rosenthal]

I've finally finished Diplomat in Carpet Slippers: Abraham Lincoln Deals with Foreign Affairs by Jay Monaghan. Generally, I enjoyed it. Monaghan was an excellent writer and could be funny at times, too. He shows that Lincoln was very involved in the details of foreign affairs through the duration of his presidency, Seward's supposed worldliness notwithstanding. Lincoln had to manage quite the balancing act, not just within his party and the North, but in handling the unique interests, outlooks and histories of various foreign nations, including some of the countries in Latin America.

But this book came out in 1945, prior to publication of the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. A lot of Monaghan's characterizations of people, countries, ideologies, etc., is a bit dated; it would be nice to read something with a more modern sensibility, reflecting the inexorable march of time and events since 1945.

One would think that there might have been more information to glean about Lincoln's foreign policy upon publication of the Collected Works... and/or at least after each of the two supplements to the Collected Works came out. In general, there's been an explosion of Lincoln scholarship these last couple of decades. But I haven't run across any books similar in theme to Monaghan's, and I believe someone here on the Symposium indicated that the book remains the only one dealing with Lincoln's foreign affairs.

What are people's thoughts about this lack of a modern-day volume? Is anyone now researching and writing such a book?

[RJNorton]

Liz, I do not have this book, but you might be interested in reading this page.

[L Verge]

I have been working with a professor, Dr. David Perry, who should have his book out soon entitled American Braggadocio. He believes that both Lincoln and Seward were in over their heads in the beginning of the war as far as dealing with foreign powers - especially Britain and France. I have only read bits and pieces of it, however.

[Liz Rosenthal]

Liz, I do not have this book, but you might be interested in reading this page.

Whoa! So the answer to my question is that there is such a modern-day look at Lincoln's diplomacy! I've put the book on my amazon "wish list." Thanks, Roger!

[Eva Elisabeth]

In that book ("One War at a time") D. Mahin writes: " A last desperate effort to obtain European recognition in return for a vague promise to free the slaves was made (by the Confederate government) in early 1865."

Unfortunatelly he gives no sources for this statement. Does anyone know any details (which persons were involved/addressed; what exactly was proposed) or original sources?

[JMadonna]

In that book ("One War at a time") D. Mahin writes: " A last desperate effort to obtain European recognition in return for a vague promise to free the slaves was made (by the Confederate government) in early 1865."

Unfortunatelly he gives no sources for this statement. Does anyone know any details (which persons were involved/addressed; what exactly was proposed) or original sources?

Judah Benjamin was the man. He was desperately trying to convince Davis that slaves were needed to fill Lee's defense lines around Richmond. By giving them freedom for their services they would also address the biggest objection Europe had against supporting them.

Davis made the proposal to Congress who were aghast at the proposition. It was too little too late.

[Anita]

What are people's thoughts about this lack of a modern-day volume? Is anyone now researching and writing such a book?

Betty, check this out. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertain...10-31.html

"Abe's legacy as a foreign policy president revealed in 'Lincoln and the World'

In his new book, "Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power," veteran foreign correspondent Kevin Peraino explores the side of the 16th president that we haven't really seen before."

[Eva Elisabeth]

In that book ("One War at a time") D. Mahin writes: " A last desperate effort to obtain European recognition in return for a vague promise to free the slaves was made (by the Confederate government) in early 1865."

Unfortunatelly he gives no sources for this statement. Does anyone know any details (which persons were involved/addressed; what exactly was proposed) or original sources?

Judah Benjamin was the man. He was desperately trying to convince Davis that slaves were needed to fill Lee's defense lines around Richmond. By giving them freedom for their services they would also address the biggest objection Europe had against supporting them.

Davis made the proposal to Congress who were aghast at the proposition. It was too little too late.

My impression is that at least Britain anyway (and definitely after the Emancipation Declaration was issued) wouldn't have recognized the Confederates as independent states (although Britain favored separation because it would have weakened North America's power) unless the North did.

Also I gain the impression that Benjamin was the rather lucid thinker compared to Davis, could that be?

[JMadonna]

Also I gain the impression that Benjamin was the rather lucid thinker compared to Davis, could that be?

It's why they called him "the brains of the Confederacy"

[Liz Rosenthal]

Anita, thanks for bringing up info about the new book. It looks very interesting, and is now on my Amazon Wish List!

[Don1946]

I also want to recommend Kevin Peraino, _Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power_, which just came out.
Monaghan is criticized for exaggerating Lincoln's involvement in diplomacy. I agree, but he was among the pioneers who pointed to the importance of foreign relations to the Civil War.
Seward was the mastermind behind Union diplomacy, for better and for worse, I would add. He usually serves as a foil for those who treat Lincoln as the ever sagacious wise man, Seward the bellicose, blustering, foolish overreaching "prime minister" ... you can almost see it coming in biographies of Lincoln. Walter Stahr gives Seward a fresh look as Lincoln's indispensable man and an earlier book by John Taylor makes a similar argument for Seward as his right hand man.
The two men began as rivals, as Doris Kearns Goodwin emphasized, but they developed a very close, symbiotic working relationship that really helped steer the Union through its domestic and foreign policy.
Another recent treatment of foreign policy, Union and CSA, is Howard Jones, _Blue and Gray Diplomacy ..._ It is a fine treatment of the diplomatic history of the war.

[L Verge]

Thanks for the recommendation of two recent books on this subject. Since I am not well-versed in Lincoln politics, I have never read deeply into the diplomacy issue. I first started paying attention about two years ago when approached for help by a Dr. David Perry, who was finishing a book on the subject entitled American Braggadocio. His point was that both Lincoln and Seward were neophytes in the foreign relations department at the beginning of the war.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Laurie, IMO D. B. Mahin's "One war at a time" is a very good book, too (and has one chapter on cotton).

Seward was the mastermind behind Union diplomacy.

Similar was said and written quite often. From my humble point of view, dealing with foreign affairs is the usual business and duty of a Secrtary of State. Nevertheless I think Lincoln was not as unaware, ignorant, and uninvolved in foreign politics as many authors claim, but he had already more than enough business to do "at home". One example of his influence is the May 2, 1861 dispatch Seward intended to let C. F. Adams (US minister to Britain) present to Britain's Foreign Secretary John Russell, in which Seward criticized that Russell had met with Confederate envoys and promised them British recognition would be discussed in the cabinet. Lincoln thought Seward's language was too strong and left no chances for negotiations. He revised the dispatch (e.g. calling Britain's actions "hurtful" instead of "wrongful", taking out "enemies", etc.), and advised Seward not to let Adams hand Russell the dispatch out but letting him use it for guidance in a discussion.

I believe if Lincoln had had sufficient time, he would have tried to further educate himself on the subject as he did with military strategies and warfare.

What is your opinion - did Abraham Lincoln have an influence on or interest in foreign politics or not, and why (not)?

[Rogerm]

I agree with you, Eva. Lincoln seemed to almost have the intelligence of a genius and was capable of learning almost anything that he set his mind to. In foreign policy, he accomplished alot in keeping the British and the French from intervening in the Civil War and siding with the Confederacy.

[Gene C]

I think so. He sent Simon Cameron over to be Minister to Russia. The Russians were so worried about what we might do to them next, that they offered Seward Alaska as a piece offering (plus Russia badly needed the money)