FF oo rr TT hh ee PP ee oo pp ll ee A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3 AUTUMN 2007 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS A DEATH IN THE FAMILY A BRAHAM L INCOLN I I “ J ACK” ( 1 8 7 3 - 1 8 9 0 ) Thomas F. Schwartz, Secretary Jack’s illness. The tone moves from here except that I learned this The Abraham Lincoln Association resigning himself to Jack’s probable afternoon that Dr. Villon said to death to ending on a hopeful note that Dr. Jones yesterday morning “il Two recently acquired letters by perhaps the doctors in London might est perdu.” [“He is lost.”] That Robert Todd Lincoln shed important provide a needed miracle. means the French Drs. have no light into the death of his only son, further recourse as V. proposes Abraham Lincoln II or “Jack” as his Robert Todd Lincoln Letter, January 13, no change of the treatment exter- family called him. Because Jack died 1890. nal & internal & with no changes before reaching adulthood at age six- Travellers Club [Paris, France] teen, most of the recorded descriptions I have no hope of improvement. 32. Avenue de l’Opera Dr. Jones thinks some changes of him emphasize his great potential and often claim that he was very much like 13 Jany 90 should be tried & says if it was his illustrious namesake, President his son he would remove him. My dear White The only question is therefore Abraham Lincoln. That Jack was proud to be named after his grandfather is Many thanks for your note yes- the opportunity. I was glad of demonstrated in his conscious attempt to terday. I have your letter & 3 your third telegram for we all imitate in exact fashion the famous sig- telegrams & if we can move Jack including Jack want no more nature, “A. Lincoln.” I will telegraph for your man & France & it would have been bad the litter. There is no change for his morale to start South. As Robert Todd Lincoln was appointed Bournemouth is a long way United States Minister Plenipotentiary across country from Dover & as to the Court of St. James by President London is only two hours, & Benjamin Harrison in 1889. Still cling- almost on the road, Dr. J. in- ing to a tradition set by the American quires whether it would not be Revolution, America was not repre- better for me to leave Jack first to sented by ambassadors but ministers. our house in London & have him This tradition was overturned in 1893 seen by Dr. Maclagan & anybody since ambassadors were the highest dip- else he thought advisable & oth- lomatic rank and had preference over ministers. Robert relished the opportu- ers with such advice & opinion, nity to live in London and take vaca- go than direct to Bournemouth. I tions on the continent. He sent Jack to almost feel we would so get to B. Versailles to study the French language as quickly as by the broken up in preparation for the entrance exams at cross lines & some other advan- Harvard. While in France, Jack noticed tage are plain. He is not yet a carbuncle under his arm. The carbun- deathly feeble. He gets up daily cle was lanced by a French surgeon but for the “closet” & last night he infection set in and Jack developed used his typewriter & slept well blood poisoning, from which he would & he feeds himself & helps him- eventually die. self to water from a side table. I mention this for Dr. M. Please The first letter is written by Robert to ask him on this & teleg. me. I the first secretary of the London lega- tion, Henry White. In it, Robert pro- Abraham Lincoln II, nicknamed “Jack.” 1881 photograph (Continued on page 4) vides the most detailed description of Louis A. Warren Lincoln Library and Museum, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 2 A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE The Abraham Lincoln Association Philip Shaw Paludan 1938-2007 Richard E. Hart President Barbara Hughett Robert J. Lenz Robert Willard Vice Presidents Thomas F. Schwartz Secretary Robert A. Stuart, Jr. Phillip Shaw Paludan, our friend, fellow Board Member, and distinguished Lincoln Treasurer scholar, died in Springfield on August 1, 2007, after a long illness. Phil and his wife Roger D. Bridges Marty came to Springfield in 2001 when Phil was the first to be named to the Naomi Immediate Past-President Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies, University of Illinois at Springfield. A leading authority on the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln, he was a congenial Mary Shepherd Executive Assistant ALA Board member, a participant in the ALA’s Lincoln Symposium, and a contributor to the ALA’s Journal. Board of Directors Kenneth L. Anderson Phil was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the son of Paul and Marguerite Shaw Paludan. Molly M. Becker Receiving his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Occidental College, he took his doctorate Michael Burlingame Brooks Davis from the University of Illinois, where he studied under Harold M. Hyman. He taught at Nancy Chapin the University of Kansas for more than thirty years, and held visiting appointments at Robert J. Davis Rutgers University and University College, Dublin, Ireland. He wrote four books on Lin- Rodney O. Davis Robert S. Eckley coln: A Covenant With Death: The Constitution, Law, and Equality in the Civil War Era, Guy Fraker Victims: A True Story of the Civil War, “A People's Contest”: The Union and Civil War Allen C. Guelzo and The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The latter was a History Book Club and Book Kathryn M. Harris of the Month Club selection, and for this work Phil was the recipient of the Barondess/ Earl W. Henderson, Jr. Fred B. Hoffmann Lincoln Award from the New York City Civil War Round Table and the Lincoln Prize, David Joens awarded by the Lincoln and Soldiers Institute at Gettysburg College. Ron J. Keller Lee McTurnan His awards include postdoctoral fellowships from the American Council of Learned Richard W. Maroc Societies, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Myron Marty Harvard Law School. He received a Diploma of Honor from Lincoln Memorial Univer- Richard Mills Susan Mogerman sity and an honorary doctorate from Lincoln College. James W. Patton, III Illinois State Historian Thomas Schwartz, who often invited Phil to speak at teacher Mark Plummer William G. Shepherd workshops and Lincoln symposiums, said much of Phil’s scholarly work is seminal in Brooks D. Simpson Lincoln scholarship. “Everyone was very much impressed by his broad intellect and his Daniel Stowell ability to take complex issues and break them down into very understandable and discrete Nicky Stratton Louise Taper parts. But more importantly, to provide these wonderful flashes of insight into issues that Timothy P. Townsend others had studied and studied. He was able to say something new and important. It’s a Donald R. Tracy huge loss, not only for UIS, but for Springfield itself and for Lincoln scholarship,” Margaret Van Meter Schwartz said. Andy Van Meter Daniel R. Weinberg Phil’s friend and colleague, Cullom Davis, delivered a moving tribute to Phil at a Stewart L. Winger memorial service held at Springfield’s Westminster Presbyterian Church and here are Kenneth J. Winkle excerpts from his tribute. Honorary Directors Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Phil taught popular classes on Lincoln, the Civil War, and constitutional history. Senator Richard Durbin Sensing that his debilitating illness might someday force him to miss an occasional Senator Barack Obama class meeting, he meticulously prepared on-line versions of his courses. He partici- Congressman Ray LaHood pated fully in the life of the university, accepted all kinds of local invitations to speak, Congressman John Shimkus and made himself readily available to students and colleagues. Perhaps his greatest Justice Rita Garman Mayor Timothy J. Davlin and most enduring contribution here was to host and produce a popular annual fall lecture series, the Lincoln Legacy Lectures. Emeritus Directors Cullom Davis Phil read broadly in the classics, current affairs, science fiction and children’s litera- Harlington Wood, Jr. ture. A prize-winning scholar and teacher, he never flirted with pedantry, or failed to Distinguished Directors acknowledge historical debts to his peers. A master of intellectual dialogue and de- Mario M. Cuomo bate, his weapons of choice were not invective or sarcasm, but gentle wit. He always David Herbert Donald gave highest priority to the students in his classes. A keen competitor in the academic John Hope Franklin rat race, Phil also was loyal and generous to his colleagues and protégés. He was, in Harry V. Jaffa short, that rarity in the Lincoln field, both a star and a gentleman. Robert W. Johannsen Garry Wills Phil is survived by his wife, Marty, and daughters Karin Sorey and Kirsten Paludan, and stepchildren Jim Hammond, Brett Hammond, Jill Donatelli and Cody Hammond. FOR THE PEOPLE A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION 3 PRESIDENT LINCOLN MEETS THE SPRINGFIELD PRESS On October 4, President Abraham Lincoln appeared in The Chamber of the House of Representative at the Old State Capitol to field questions from Springfield’s modern day press corps fol- lowed by questions from the audience. Over 240 people heard the President respond to questions about the war, emancipation and his plans for reconstruction. President Lincoln was portrayed by George Buss, who was assisted by two “handlers,” Bob Lenz and David Blanchette. President Lincoln also appeared at the Iles Magnet School, Southeast High School and an Ansar Shriner’s meeting. The ALA sponsored events were planned and organized by ALA Board Member David Joens and were co-sponsored by the Old State Capitol and the Illinois Sate Historical Society.