Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln PresidentWinner of the Lincoln Prize Lincoln at Cooper Union explores Lincoln's most influential and widely reported pre-presidential address -- an extraordinary appeal by the western politician to the eastern elite that propelled him toward the Republican nomination for president. Delivered in New York in February 1860, the Cooper Union speech dispelled doubts about Lincoln's suitability for the presidency and reassured conservatives of his moderation while reaffirming his opposition to slavery to Republican progressives. Award-winning Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer places Lincoln and his speech in the context of the times -- an era of racism, politicized journalism, and public oratory as entertainment -- and shows how the candidate framed the speech as an opportunity to continue his famous "debates" with his archrival Democrat Stephen A. Douglas on the question of slavery. Holzer describes the enormous risk Lincoln took by appearing in New York, where he exposed himself to the country's most critical audience and took on Republican Senator William Henry Seward of New York, the front runner, in his own backyard. Then he recounts a brilliant and innovative public relations campaign, as Lincoln took the speech "on the road" in his successful quest for the presidency. |
From inside the book
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... Herndon, so close to the senior attorney that the opposition press nicknamed him “Lincoln's man Friday,” also testified to Lincoln's undisguised excitement on the Monday he returned to work, telegram in hand. Lincoln “looked much ...
... Herndon, so close to the senior attorney that the opposition press nicknamed him “Lincoln's man Friday,” also testified to Lincoln's undisguised excitement on the Monday he returned to work, telegram in hand. Lincoln “looked much ...
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... Herndon is to be believed, Lincoln was thus encouraged to imagine from the very outset that a trip to New York could stoke the “little engine” of ambition that, as Herndon so vividly expressed it, “knew no rest.” That engine barely ...
... Herndon is to be believed, Lincoln was thus encouraged to imagine from the very outset that a trip to New York could stoke the “little engine” of ambition that, as Herndon so vividly expressed it, “knew no rest.” That engine barely ...
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... Herndon's mind from the first day Briggs's telegram arrived. If so, the prize could not have been far from Lincoln's thoughts, either.15 As Herndon recalled it for publication in his Lincoln biography, published thirty years later, on ...
... Herndon's mind from the first day Briggs's telegram arrived. If so, the prize could not have been far from Lincoln's thoughts, either.15 As Herndon recalled it for publication in his Lincoln biography, published thirty years later, on ...
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... HERNDON'S advice or reached the same conclusion by following his own instincts, Lincoln made clear in this acceptance letter that his East Coast debut would be a “political speech,” or more precisely, a political lecture. He was no ...
... HERNDON'S advice or reached the same conclusion by following his own instincts, Lincoln made clear in this acceptance letter that his East Coast debut would be a “political speech,” or more precisely, a political lecture. He was no ...
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... Herndon did not disagree. The “discoveries and inventions” talk, he remembered, “was so poor that it was a failure—utter failure.” Herndon thought he knew why: Mr. Lincoln had not the fire—taste—reading—eloquence &c., which would make ...
... Herndon did not disagree. The “discoveries and inventions” talk, he remembered, “was so poor that it was a failure—utter failure.” Herndon thought he knew why: Mr. Lincoln had not the fire—taste—reading—eloquence &c., which would make ...
Contents
Chapter Three Some Confusion in the Arrangements | |
Chapter Four Much the Best Portrait | |
Chapter Five Nothing Impressive About Him | |
Chapter Six The Strength of Absolute Simplicity | |
Epilogue | |
Acknowledgments | |
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Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech that Made Abraham Lincoln President Harold Holzer Limited preview - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Lincoln Papers antislavery appearance applause Astor House audience Beecher believed Bowen Brady Brady’s Briggs Brooklyn campaign candidate Charles Chicago Collected Constitution convention Cooper Institute Cooper Union address Cooper Union speech copy crowd declared deliver Democrats Douglas Douglas’s East editor election Exeter fathers who framed February 27 federal territories framed the Government Frémont friends George George Haven Putnam Hall Hampshire Harper’s Harper’s Ferry Haven Henry Herndon Herndon’s Lincoln Ibid Illinois insisted invitation James John Brown Journal later lecture letter Library of Congress Lincoln-Douglas debates Lincoln’s Cooper Union Lincoln’s speech March Mason Brayman Mathew Brady McCormick never New-York newspaper nomination Nott orator original pamphlet photograph political popular sovereignty president presidential Press and Tribune printed prohibition published reported reprints Republican party Republican Union Robert Senate Seward slavery slaves South Southern speak speaker Springfield trip votes Ward Hill Lamon Washington White William H words York Tribune