Word: lincoln
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Dates: during 1910-1919
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...Lincoln's Military Mistakes...
...Lincoln's chief mistakes were in the military line. His lack of victories, in a great part of the war made his political and diplomatic situation very difficult at times. Early in the struggle he thought of a plan for reimbursing the Southern States with United States bonds if they would declare peace and give up their slaves. But the defeats of the North at this time made the bonds practically worthless, and few believed in their recuperative powers. When finally Lincoln decided upon the emancipation of slaves by declaration, he did it as a military measure, to hinder...
After Antietam followed another long series of defeats for the North. These were accounted for in part by Lincoln's bad judgment in picking his lieutenant's McClellan and Hooker demonstrated their inadequacy to the people long before the President realized it. Finally, Hooker's resignation gave Mead a chance, and with the battle of Gettysburg the North began to cheer up again. Grant also rose to power and fame though ill thought of at first through lack of success and his victories at Vicksburg and Chattannooga added glory to the Administration. Throughout the war the situation of the leaders...
Three other phases of the war were touched on by Mr. Rhodes. He spoke a little of the finances of the country in 1864, and of the "debauch of flat money." He also dealt on Lincoln's unfriendly relations with Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, and the latter's withdrawal and subsequent appointment as Cheif Justice of the Supreme Court. And finally he considered Lincoln's high-minded plan of 1864: of paying to the slave states four million dollars for the giving up of their slaves, and the formation of peace. But there was no one else...
...closing, Mr. Rhodes called the attention of his audience to the courage, honor and human sympathy of "the most American of Americans" as James Russell Lowell has called him. Caesar may be called the mighty Caesar. Lincoln cannot well be called mighty, in the same sense, but the term "Honest Abe" expresses the opinion and feelings of his countrymen