Prepared in the Interests of Book Collecting at the The University of Michigan

No. 14~ THEY ONLY INCREASE THE STATURE OF THE MAN. 1Sept 1947

A Little Dinner reminded us that we had more than two hours to for Lincoln wai t before the Lincoln At 12:01 A.M. on July ­ Papers could be opened. 2G, 1947, the Robert Todd He proposed that we Lincoln Collection of pa­ might pass the time plea­ pers relating to his father, santly listening to some of Abraham Lincoln, was our company tell us what opened to the public. they hoped to find in the This was that moment for collection. ,..rh ich many men had Dr Evans called first on wai ted years. The faces of Carl Sandburg. With a those men grouped around gentle smile on his face, the safes which had held and in the Middle West­ the papers were bright ern voice familiar to all with hope or troubled Lincolnians, Mr Sandburg wi th fears and worries or announced that he would stilled to conceal emo­ accompany himself on his lions. Yet were they all ex­ guitar with songs of the pectanL This was the mo­ American past. First, there ment; starring 00'\'''' they was a Revolutionary War would have - or they song by Joseph Warren would not have-s-answers about his hopes for the 10 questions about Lin­ future of our America coln which puzzled them. and then there was a bal­ These Lincoln Papers Reprinted with permission of S. J. Ray and . lad of Lincoln's time- the Kansas City Star had been sealed at the in- about a boy and a girl. sistence of the President's son be­ the Robert T . Lincoln Collection. After the strings of his guitar were cause, he said, they "contain many We were welcomed by our host and still, Mr Sandburg spoke movingly references of a private nature to the cooled and relaxed in the lVashing. about his belief that when the pa­ immediate ancestors of persons now ton manner before we took our pers were opened there would be living." At least, that is Robert Lin­ places at the single long table. I found a clearer understanding of coln's formal statement of the rea­ was seated at the left of Verner W. Lincoln, an amplification of the son for closing the Papers for twen­ Clapp (Libr ary of Congress) and qualities which make him stand out ty-one years. Some folk say that on the right of Foreman M. Lebold in the history of our country. He Robert Lincoln's real reason was (Chicago Lincoln collector). F. hoped most particularly that histo­ to prevent a certain Lincoln biogra­ Lauriston Bnllard (collector and rians, whom he believed had mis­ pher from having access to the Pa­ author of Abraham L incoln & The interpreted certain episodes, would pers. W idow Bixb y) , who had Mr Clapp find their errors corrected in the There is in the Library of Con­ on his left and Jay Monaghan papers. Finally, he referred to the gress a charming room known as (Lincoln bibliographer and State next speaker, Maj or General Ulysses the Whittall Pavilion. It is, I be­ Historian of Illinois) on his right, S. Grant III as an old classmate. lieve, part of the Library's Division sat directly across the table from They had been candidates for cadet­ of Music. The evening of July me. The conversation among the ships at West Point in 1899; the twenty-fifth, the room was used to five of us during the dinner was grandson of President Grant had honor Lincoln. The Librarian of almost exclusively about Lincoln passed all his examinations and Mr Congress had invited a group of and Lincolnians. Sandburg had failed in arithmetic. Lincoln scholars to be his guests at After the table had been cleared, General Grant was on the point a dinner preceding the opening of the Librarian of Congress rose and of escaping from the room, when the Librarian of Congress urged Congress and his staff for their recepti on line at Buffalo, but he him to tell us the story of Lin­ many and importa nt courtesies to could not go. President Lincoln coln's courtesy to his grandfather. scho lars, It was praise truly meant had invited his son twice to attend " Words were d ifficu lt with my and well deserved . William H . Ford's Theatre, bu t he did 1I0t go. gTand(ather," he said, "and Li n­ Townsend (au tho r and L incoln However. he was standi ng beside coln knew that fact. Just before collector of Lexi ngton, Kentucky) Preside nt Garfield, when the latter he was to be commissioned a lieu­ spoke next from his personal know­ was assassinated. ten alit general, in 1863, my gra nd­ ledge of Robert T. L in coln and h is Ralph G. Newman (Ch icago spe­ father was called to the White many letters to his aunt, Emili e ciali st in Lincoln materia l and co­ House. T here Lincoln told hi m Todd Helm , which are now in the author of T he American Il iad) told what was int.ended and gave him Townsend collection. He revealed us he was most anxious to find a cop y of the p ub lic statement he the Presiden t's son as a shy, reur­ drafts of the Emancipation Proc­ was ready to issue the next day. ing, generous man whose greatest lamation and possibly some notes That gave my grandfather a chance fear was that he might be accused relative to a famous broadside to compose a suitable re ply:' Gen­ of trading on his father's tradi tion. printing in 1864. He also hoped era l Gra nt also told us that Gen­ It was his desire to be whoUy inde­ there woulcI be numerous family eral Sherma n advised h is grand­ pendent and to win success in life papers in the collection. Frederick father not [Q accep t the appoint. by his own efforts. H . Meserve (p ioneer collector of men t and that, according to Gen ­ David C. Mearns (of th e Libra­ Lincoln ph otographs) expressed eral Schofield, in accepting the ry of Congress) traced the h istory the sentiments of every guest when command, hi s gra nd father stipu­ of the Robert T. Lincoln Collec­ he said th e even ing of July twenty­ lated that he would have direct tion from the time of its formation, fifth, 191i. was a historic event. He access to Lincoln himself at all immediately after Lincoln' s death, told of hi s efforts, made at Robert times instead of through official until it was deposited at the Li­ Lincoln' s requ est. to prevent a rep­ "channe ls." brary in '9t9 and came formally lica of the Barnard statue of Lin­ J am es G_ Randall (professor of into the possession of the Library coln [rom being placed in London. Hi story at the University oI1JJinois in 1!J2B. 1n the coursc oi telling the Aiel'ed W. Sterrt (Chicago col­ aw l author of several books about story, Mr Mearns refuted one edu­ lector of Lincolniana) turned our Li ncoln and his era) spoke of his cator's claim of having "saved the minds far afield, when he expressed desire to find a fuller picture of papers (or posterity: ' Jay Monag­ h is wish that th e spirit of Abraham Lincoln at work. He wanted drafts han said he was looking forward Lincoln 's hu manity might spread of speeches. messages, and letters to to th e openi ng of the Papers be­ ra pid ly beyond th e borders of our show how Lincoln's thoughts devel­ cause there ought to be doru ments coun try to the rest of th e world. oped when he was writing. Dr Bul­ in them which would amplify our Rufus R . W ilson (p ublisher and lard then explained that he had knowledge o f Linco ln's foreign pol­ ed itor of T he Uncollected Wo rks of not expected to speak, but th at he icy. He tho ugh t this a logical de­ Lincoln) followed Mr Stern's line was well su pplied with questions ductio n beca use the saving of such of reasoning by po inting out that (or which he though t he might find materi als would have appealed to Ab raham Lincoln "is the gen tlest answers in the Papers. Among the Robert Lincoln. memory ol our world:' H e felt questions he asked were why did Louis A. Warren (direc tor of the confident that nothin g in the Pa­ Lincoln appoint Pope and Burn­ Lincol n National Life Foundation) pers would change our reasons for side? did Lin coln receive a letter reminded the company that Lin­ that memory and nothing woul d (rom Victor Hugo? did he suggest col n had wired Gen eral Schofield reduce his stature. Ben Bu tler for the vice-presidency? on J uly '3 , 1863, "] care very little J ohn E. W ash ington (author of what became of the letter !rom Ma­ [or the p ublication of any letters T irey Knew L incoln) spoke mo v­ jor Anderson on h is desk on March I have written." T hen he read two ingly of Lincoln 's relations with 5. 186 1? dill Lin coln use the phrase unp ub lished sketches by Robert Negroes and of his own hopes that "resign his place" or "resign his Lincoln. one an autobiographical there would be more facts on that plan" at the cabinet meering :of descr iption and one a biographical subject in the Papers. Lincoln' s Sep tember 2, 1862? As a kind of sketch of Presiden t Lin coln. The place as the emancipator of their stinger, when he sat down again. next speaker was a Michigan rep­ race would always bring him honor Dr Bullard asked, "Did Lincoln resentative in Congress. George A. from Negroes throughout th e write the Bixby letter?" Dondero of Royal Oak. H e cor­ world. Edga r De Wi" J ones (De­ Paul M. Angle (director of the rected the notion that Robert Lin­ troit minister and Lincoln collec­ Chicago Hi storical Society and au­ coln was present at three assassina­ tor) startled (and flattered) th e thor of The Lincoln Reader ) tions of presidents. Robert Lincoln company hy stating that he consid­ changed the tune of the proceed­ told him that President McKinley ered the three great events of his ings by praising the Librarian of had invited him to stand in the life his marriage, tlJe freeing of his church from debt, and his attend­ R. Gerald McMurtry (director of and then freed us from the Whittal ance of the Lincoln dinner on July the Department of Lincolniana of Pavilion. 25, t947· Lincoln Memorial University) did Like thirty-one schoolboys unex­ Thomas 1. Starr (Detroit author not tell us what he hoped to find pectedly released from school in and collector of Lincolniana) echo in the Lincoln Papers, but stated spring, we scampered from the oed Dr Jones' pleasure at being in that the gathering of the Lincoln room and through the empty halls Washington and then successfully scholars for the occasion would of the Library to the Annex. There linked Robert Lincoln to Michigan long be remembered as one of the the Papers waited. July twenty­ history. At one time, the younger outstanding events in the field of sixth finally came. Now, the Papers Lincoln was a director of the Mich­ Lincolniana. Carl W. Schaefer are part of the great Lincoln story. igan Telephone Company, forerun­ (trustee of Lincoln Memorial Uni­ ner of the present Michigan Bell versiry) described his personal ex­ Telephone Company. James W. periences with William Lee Per­ Presidential Papers Bollinger (Davenport, Iowa, col­ sons, a former slave who had Of course, we are concerned with lector and Lincoln enthusiast) worked in the house in which Lin­ tlte preservation of papers of pub- ­ hurled a charge at the company coln died. lie men. For every investigator who that the table was surrounded by The Librarian of Congress found wants to do research in our Manu­ "thirty-one Lincoln nuts." We were the time growing short, at this script Division, we have a dozen all quick to notice that the Judge point. and therefore introduced the visitors who just want to "see" a included himself in the number. following guests without requiring letter in George Washington's More seriously, Judge Bollinger en­ them to speak at length: St. George handwriting. Frankly, we are jnst quired, "If there was nothing in L. Sioussat, chief of the Manuscript as much interested in the latter as the Papers, why put oIl opening Division, Library of Congress; Ver­ in the former, because the contem­ them to the publici" ne!' W. Clapp; C. Percy Powell, plation of an "originalletter" often I had been worrying for some Manuscript Division. Library of leacls to a deeper appreciation of, time about what I would say if Dr Congress; William Springer. Detroit and reading in, American history. Evans took the fantastic notion to Frequently we "put on" an ex­ collector; and Foreman M. Lebold. cal ion me. The demand for a hibition of letters of Presidents of The only person at the table wlto starement came suddenly and I the United States-and vice-presi­ had not yet spoken was Roy P. found my-self on my feet telling the dents, too. No , we have no collec­ Basler (executive secretary of -the company that while I thougbt none tion of presidential papers compar­ Abraham Lincoln Association). Dr of them would find all he wanted, able to the Robert Todd Lincoln each would find something to his Basler repeated Paul Angle's praise Collection of letters of Abraham pleasure. Harry J. Lytle (Daven­ of the Library of Congress and, in Lincoln, which was "opened" at the port, Iowa, collector of Lincoln­ behalf of the - entire company, Library of Congress. But we do iana) followed me with wishes that thanked the Librarian of Congress - have some letters by and about there would be something in the for the privilege of being present in Presidents at which we can grin Papers about why Abraham Lin­ Washington. He would not express with some satisfaction. coln and Mary Todd were not mar­ an opinion about the Papers, but Our Colton Storm was among ried on "the fatal first." He echoed assured us that one piece would not the thirty-one especially invited Dr Bullard's wish, also, that some­ be present-Mrs Lincoln's remarks American scholars who participated thing new on the Bixby letter on Iter husband's beard. - in that dramatic. midnight cere­ would be found. Though time passed pleasantly mony, at 12:01 A.M. on July 26, Solon J. Buck- (archivist of the all evening, none of us could avoid when the Robert T. Lincoln Col­ United States) stated that his inter­ noticing a rising tension and ex­ -lection was formally made avail­ ests in Lincoln and Lincolniana citement as midnight came closer. able to the public. Now, don't mis­ had been aroused some thirty-five Each of us had personal hopes and understand. He was not exactly in years ago when he was a member fears about the contents of the Pa­ a position to grab souvenirs. Nor of the History department of the pers. Some of us had expressed our do we pretend that our Library's University of Illinois and on the feelings openly, others cagily or pri­ representative was in the class with stall of the Illinois Historical Sur­ vately . At last, the moment came Lincolnians like Paul M. Angle of vey. Robert 1.. Kincaid (president when there were only a few min­ Chicago, James G. Randall of Ur­ of Lincoln Memorial University) utes of waiting left. Dr Evans told bana, nor Jay Monaghan and Roy told us that he was not much wor­ us about the arrangements which P. Basler of Springfield. But he ried about the contents of the Pa­ had been made for the rest of the had a good time, and if he has to pers. He was confident that they night, introduced Mrs Helen Bul­ set up an exhibition of his own, would not change our opinions of lock (who had assisted Dr Powell Lincoln can be represented at our Lincoln. in cataloguing the manuscripts), Library by an autograph letter signed, wherein the Republican Hughes begging that he call on his nial of th e charges on behalf of candidate in 1860 arranged-for the neighbor and get an autographed Cortelyou. Mr Vawter'srecent gift only speech he made in Michigan copy of ehat article. H e did, and to the Library is a set of five mart­ - tha t at Kalamazoo. Moreover, the following item, addressed and uscripis, drafts _corrected and -re­ there is a neat little note from Lin­ signed by the author may be seen in vised in the hand of the President, coIn to Russell A. Alger, major our Manuscript Division: in preparation for the reply to general, U.S.A.; governor of Michi­ . • . Say, did you read what Rupert Parker. The drafts are of unusual gan;and U.S. senator. Hughes dug up in George wasbfng­ bibliograpt1ical and biographical Following the precedents of Re­ ton's diary? I was so ashamed I sat up all night reading it. This should importance, for they show the suc­ publican presidents Rutherford B­ be a lesson to Presidents to either cessive steps by which the published Hayes and Herbert C. Hoover behave themselves or not keep a diary. reply was reached. Can you imagine JOO years hence (whose separate library buildings some future Rupert Hughes pounc­ \'\Te don't mind stories on, as well and collections may be seen in Fre­ in on Calvin's diary? What would th at generation think of us? Calvin, as about, ourselves. Upon the day mont, Ohio, and Palo Alto, Cali­ burn them papers. Yours for the after elec tion in 1944, we realized fornia) a Democratic chief execu­ suppression of scandal, Will Rogers" that our Manuscript Division con­ tive followed suit. The director of tained no autograph of the vice­ the Clements Library was among Calvin is easily identified-he was presidential candidate, Harry S, those with whom the late Franklin then (1927) President of the Truman. With our usual naivete, Delano Roosevelt counselled when United States. It is unlikely that we went to the, local music store, planning and placing his library at any library will ever have any "tre­ purchased a copy of Paderewski's Hyde Park, New York. Now, wait mendous" collection of "confiden­ "Minuet" and sent it on to Inde­ a minute before you anti-New Deal­ tial" papers of President Coolidge, pendence, Missouri, with a shame­ ers start screaming. -T he only point not because he followed Will Rog­ less request for an autograph. That, we want to make is the existence in ers' advice and burned them, but it will be remembered, was the se­ our Manuscript Division of a pack­ because lie probably never wrote lection Mr Truman played to quiet et of letters from yet another book them. The late J. Franklin Jame­ the savage breasts of the exultant collecting president- all dealing son, chief of Manuscripts at the Missouri Democrats while cthe rc­ with bibliography and history. Library of Congress, arranged an turns came in on election night. About the time the newspapers exhibition of what he considered Now it is regarded as improper were full of stories of the "open­ characteristic presidential letters. to publish a letter of a President of ing" of the Robert T . Lincoln Col­ He began it with a splendid and the United States during his term lection, a gentleman in Uvalde, serious four-page letter sign ed " G :o of office and without his permis­ Texas, announced that he had Washington" and concluded it sion. 1Ne observe that custom. Yet . taken all his papers out into the with a one-line, one-sentence letter it is not improper to add here that corral and burned them. [Entre signed "Calvin Coolidge." Mr Truman returned the music nous, the future historian may find Speaking of presidents who duly inscribed and signed and .ac­ in our Manuscript Division a cou­ achieved their rank first by inheri­ companied it by a letter in which ple of letters from Vice-President tance, we are reminded of a recent he made pointed comments on the John N. Garner about the appoint­ gift to our Theodore Roosevelt amateurish quality of scores avail­ ment of a Librarian of Congress. Collection. It came to us from the able in the Ann Arbor music store. This much-we can say-in the face original donor of the collection, In fact, he told us that years ago, of agonized shrieks of the organ­ Mr William A. Vawter II. During after one of Paderewski's concerts ized library world, the Clements the campaign of 1904, Roosevelt's in Kansas City, the now President Library bet on the right horse.] Democratic opponent, Judge Alton had the benefit of some personal But Mr Garner's action calls to B. Parker, laid certain charges coaching from the great Polish ar­ mind another of our documents against George B. Cortelyou, na­ tist on how to play the "Minuet," about presidential papers. In the tional chairman of the Republican Triftes?-yes, perhaps. But no Party. Parker accused the Repub­ 1920'S a biography of George Wash· world shaking revelations seem ington by Rupert Hughes caused lican Party of accepting campaign likely to come out of the newly some anguish among the hero wor­ contributions in exchange for fu­ opened Lincoln Collection. Yet shippers-mistakenly, we contend, ture favors. Roosevelt withheld his Lincolnians will probably lind because most such critics con fused reply until Judge Parker hinted thousands of these amusing and that the R epublican methods were Hughes' biography (1926-30) with instructive trifl es-which will fur­ that of another -author. But, - be a form of blackmail. Then Roose­ ther demonstrate the truth of thai-as it may, a gem on the subject velt sailed in with a withering de- James G. Randall's thesis that the appeared syndicated in millions of Lincoln theme has not been ex­ "Reprinted by permission of The New newspapers. We - wrote -Rupert York Times. hausted, Issued Occasionally by the Clements Library. Address Communications to the Editors of The Quarto, Clements Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor