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. |
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... News “An engrossing account . . . stimulating and pleasurable.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Engaging and entertaining ... Tribune “One of Lincoln's greatest speeches remains the least known. Carefully crafted to win the support of New York ...
... News “An engrossing account . . . stimulating and pleasurable.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Engaging and entertaining ... Tribune “One of Lincoln's greatest speeches remains the least known. Carefully crafted to win the support of New York ...
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... York Tribune editor Horace Greeley, whom he had been dispatched to visit only a year earlier to make sure his influential Republican newspaper did not waver in its support for Abraham Lincoln in his Senate race against Stephen A ...
... York Tribune editor Horace Greeley, whom he had been dispatched to visit only a year earlier to make sure his influential Republican newspaper did not waver in its support for Abraham Lincoln in his Senate race against Stephen A ...
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... York senator, the mood of the gathering abruptly changed and the committee ... Tribune and Evening Post, and even the pro-Seward Times, reported the ... York—did the group dispatch a final, formal invitation out to Springfield over ...
... York senator, the mood of the gathering abruptly changed and the committee ... Tribune and Evening Post, and even the pro-Seward Times, reported the ... York—did the group dispatch a final, formal invitation out to Springfield over ...
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... York Times went further, acknowledging: “It is said, that some of 'Old Abe's' friends look still higher for him.”13 “Old Abe” himself may already have been among them. In April he protested, “I must, in candor, say I do not think myself ...
... York Times went further, acknowledging: “It is said, that some of 'Old Abe's' friends look still higher for him.”13 “Old Abe” himself may already have been among them. In April he protested, “I must, in candor, say I do not think myself ...
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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