Lincoln's Campaign Biographies
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Book Reviews ABRAHAM LINCOLN: Seward, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Lincoln’s sparing the life of an Indian scout PHILOSOPHER STATESMAN P. Chase, and Secretary of War Edwin M. who had stumbled into his camp of vol- BY JOSEPH R. FORNIERI Stanton. unteers during the Black Hawk War of Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL, 2014. Lincoln, in his wisdom, was interested in 1832. Other militia volunteers would have 216 pages, $34.50. science and discovery. Like all ex-Whigs, he killed the Indian, but Lincoln, who was urged support for entrepreneurial ventures. their captain, intervened. Another example LINCOLN’S CAMPAIGN Lincoln held a patent on an invention to of Lincoln’s magnanimity came in 1858, BIOGRAPHIES raise the level of a barge traveling through when, after the Illinois legislature chose BY THOMAS A. HORROCKS shallow water. Fornieri quotes from a speech Stephen A. Douglas over Lincoln for the Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL, 2014. Lincoln gave in New Haven, Connecticut, on U.S. Senate, Lincoln expressed pride, “in 148 pages, $24.95. March 6, 1860, advocating that every man— my passing speck of time, to contribute black or white—have the chance to “better an humble mite” toward ending slavery. Reviewed by Henry S. Cohn his condition,” to “look forward and hope to The crowning example is Lincoln’s second be a hired laborer this year and the next, inaugural address (“With malice toward In Abraham Lincoln: Philosopher work for himself afterward, and finally to none; with charity for all”), which, as reli- Statesman, political science professor hire men to work for him!” gious historian Mark Noll points out, is filled Joseph R. Fornieri contends that Abraham Fornieri’s second principle of statesman- Lincoln was a great statesman. He identifies ship is prudence, which Lincoln exhibited Fornieri six factors that make one a statesman—(1)lead to a deeper appreciation of instatesman issuing Lincolnthe Emancipation Proclamation. hat constitutes Lincoln’s political great ship and of its embodiment in Abraham nessW as a statesman? As a great leader, he “In this wonderfully concise work on the politics of Lincoln, Joseph Fornieri performs to Lincoln. saved the Union, presided over the end of perfection the task of laying out the lines of Lincoln’s politics, not only for his time but Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln wisdom, (2) prudence, (3) duty, (4)With themag great philosophers- He and books had failed to convince the border states slavery, and helped to pave the way for an in also in terms of the seven classical characteristics that make for ‘greatness of soul.’ Put of western civilization as his guide, For ni terracial democracy. His great speeches pro away the treacly little handbooks that promise to deliver Lincoln’s ‘leadership secrets’— PHILOSOPHER eri demonstrates the important contribu vide enduring wisdom about human equal nanimity, (5) rhetoric, and (6) patriotism— that remainedhere is the inreal stuff the of Lincoln’s union statesmanship.” to agree to grad- tion of normative political philosophy to an ity, democracy, free labor, and free society. —Allen C. Guelzo, author of Fateful Lightning: understanding of our sixteenth president. Joseph R. Fornieri contends that Lincoln’s and he makes the case that Lincoln excelled ual emancipation. He refusedA New History of the Civilto War proclaimand Reconstruction STATESMAN Informed by political theory that draws on political genius is best understood in terms the classics in revealing the timelessness of a philosophical statesmanship that united in them all. of Lincoln’s example, his interdisciplinarythat all slaves“By bringing thein insights the of political philosophyUnited to bear on Statesthe study of Abraham were Lincoln, greatness of thought and action, one that study offers profound insights for anyone Fornieri enriches our understanding of what made the sixteenth president not only a combined theory and practice. This philo With respect to wisdom, Fornieriinterested shows in the nature of leadership,free, states believinggreat politician it but alsonot a great statesman.within Rejecting thehis cynical notionauthority that a seasoned sophical statesmanship, Fornieri argues, can manship, political philosophy, political eth political operator cannot also be a principled idealist, Fornieri shows that what made best be understood in terms of six dimen that Lincoln had knowledge of andics, respect political history, and constitutionalas law.President. Lincoln greatUnder was that he washis both. ClearlyArticle written and passionatelyII power argued, this isas a sions of political leadership: wisdom, pru book from which scholars can learn but that general readers can enjoy.” dence, duty, magnanimity, rhetoric, and pa —James Oakes, author of Freedom National: Joseph R. Fornieri is a professor of PHILOSOPHER STATESMAN triotism. Drawing on insights from history, for Euclidean reasoning. Lincoln read Euclid commander in chief, however,The Destruction he of Slavery could, in the United as States a political science at the Rochester Institute of politics, and philosophy, Fornieri tackles the Technology and the director of the Center question of how Lincoln’s statesmanship dis on his lonely travels through Illinois’for Statesmanship,Eighth Law, and Liberty.war He ismeasure, Viewing Lincolnfree through the the lens slaves of political philosophy, in the Fornieri convincinglystates shows in played each of these crucial elements. the author or editor of five books, including how the sixteenth president piloted the ship of state prudently between the Scylla of Providing an accessible framework for un Judicial Circuit, and, according to Fornieri,Abraham Lincoln’s Political Faithrebellion, and, with and,utopian perfectionism on Jan. and the Charybdis 1, 1863, of mere cynical thatshrewdness.” is what derstanding Lincoln’s statesmanship, this Sara Vaughn Gabbard, Lincoln’s America. —Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished thoughtful study examines the sixteenth through his use of Euclidean reasoning, he did in the EmancipationChair in Lincoln Studies, Proclamation. University of Illinois Springfield president’s political leadership in terms of uke the traditional moral vision of statecraft as understood by epic political philosophers Ick l Ick “became adept at reducing a case in terms After he issued the proclamation, however, such as Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas. Fornieri contends that Lincoln’s character is of its core principle and persuading juries he continuedSouthern to Ill lobbyInoIS unIver CongressSIty PreSS to$34.50 enact uSD leg- best understood in terms of Aquinas’s un www.SIuPreSS.com ISbn 0809333295 Photo by Patr derstanding of magnanimity or greatness ISbn 9780809333295 through tersely reasoned arguments. ...” islation to fund the voluntary colonization of of soul, the crowning virtue of statesman ship. True political greatness, as embodied But Lincoln’s wisdom, Fornieri writes, African-Americans. by Lincoln, involves both humility and sac Southern rificial service for the common good. The Illinois enduring wisdom and timeless teachings University “comes to light not only in his understandPrinted in the United- States of America RegardingJacket illustration: his Lincoln-186 third, oil on canvas, byprinciple, Wendy Allen. duty, Press joseph r. fornieri of these great thinkers, Fornieri shows, can ing of Euclidean logic, but in his profound Fornieri notes that Lincoln battled to pre- knowledge of the Bible in vindicatingFornieri cvr mech.indd 1 [the serve the Union, drawing this duty from 3/10/14 11:27 AM right to govern oneself] against the claims the oath of office he took when he became Horrocks THOMAS A. HORROCKS “Thomas Horrocks has produced a comprehensive and thoughtful sur- THOMAS A. HORROCKS is the director of Special uring the 1860 and 1864 presidential cam- of proslavery theology. ... The self-evident President. Fornieri contrastsvey of the surprisingly voluminous Lincoln’s but underappreciated rec collection- of Collections and the John Hay Library at Brown paigns Abraham Lincoln was the subject campaign biographies about Abraham Lincoln that appeared in 1860 Lincoln’s Campaign Biographies D University. He is the author, editor, or coeditor of more than twenty campaign biographies. In and 1864. Horrocks details how these earliest Lincoln narratives came truth of equality was not only known byof six books, includingognition The Living Lincoln of and his duty to save the Union with this innovative study Thomas A. Horrocks not about and then carefully analyzes their impact on his evolving national President James Buchanan and the Crisis of Na- only examines the role these publications played reputation. This is a must-have addition for the library of any serious Lincoln’s Campaign tional Leadership. in shaping an image of Lincoln that would reso- reason and affirmed by Euclidean logic; it his predecessor JamesLincoln student.” Buchanan’s weak nate with voters but also explores the vision of —matthew pinsker, Pohanka Chair in American Lincoln that the biographies crafted, the changes Civil War History, Dickinson College was also confirmed by the biblical teach- response when South Carolina seceded. Biographies in this vision over the course of four years, and “For the intensely private Abraham Lincoln, crafting an autobiography the impact of these works on the outcome of the was nearly as painful as reading those campaign profiles written about elections. ing of Genesis 1:27, of ‘man created