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ABRAHAM LINCOLN From His Own Words and Contemporary Accounts |
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8. THAT NAME "ABE"
The instances were no doubt rare when Mr. Lincoln in mature years was addressed as "Abe." Lincoln had dignity. His presence imperceptibly restrained a cheap familiarity. One can sense this about the man from some of his photographs. Two contemporaries and close friends of Abraham Lincoln discuss how people of his day addressed him.
But although I have heard of cheap fellows, professing that they were wont to address him as "Abe," I never knew of any one who ever did it in my presence. Lincoln disdained ceremony, but he gave no license for being called "Abe." His preference was being called "Lincoln" with no handle at all. I don't recollect of his applying the prefix "Mr." to any one. When he spoke to Davis, he called him "Judge," but he called us all on the circuit by our family names merely, except Lamon, whom every one called "Hill." We spoke of him as "Uncle Abe," but to his face we called him "Lincoln." This suited him; he very much disliked to be called "Mr. President." This I knew, and I never called him so once. He didn't even like to be called "Mr." He preferred plain "Lincoln."
HENRY C. WHITNEY, Life on the Circuit with Lincoln.
In all my journeyings with him I never heard any person call him "Abe," not even his partner, Herndon. There was an impalpable garment of dignity about him which forbade such familarity. I have read pretended conversations with him in books and newspapers where his interlocutors addressed him as Abe this or Abe that, but I am sure that all such colloquies are imaginary.
HORACE WHITE, The Lincoln and Douglas Debates.
Springfield home of Abraham Lincoln. When bought in
1844, it was 1-1/2 stories. In the yard is Lincoln with two of his sons,
Willie and Tad. Reproduced from photo taken in 1860.
An exterior view of the Lincoln and Herndon law
office of 1860. It was upstairs and at back of building. The two large
windows on the lower left apparently opened into the office. Here
Lincoln formulated many of his political statements. Reproduced from a
photograph made in 1886.
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Last Modified: Thurs, Sep 11 2003 10:00:00 pm PST |
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