Richard Hofstadter's American Political Tradition By Abraham Lincoln

In Richard Hofstadter’s book “American Political Tradition” he describes twelve biographical portraits of American statesmen, breaking them from longstanding reputations and putting them under scrutiny. Shockingly, among these statesmen is Abraham Lincoln. Hofstadter criticizes both his legacy and his political intentions. Lincoln, a president nationally regarded as a “self-made” man, nicknamed “Honest Abe,” and generally well liked, is not typically heavily criticized (Hofstadter 121). Hofstadter believed his reputation of being “self-made” was simply just a myth that he used to advance his political career and to seize opportunities of advancement (122). Although Hofstadter believes Lincoln’s reputation is not as notable as history says

This reputation describes him as a “self-made” man, coming from a difficult family life. In his early biographies Lincoln portrayed that he came from a poor and uneducated family in which he defied on his path to success. He claimed, “I was born and have ever remained in the most humble walks of life” (Hofstadter 122). By constantly putting himself down, and talking about his previous adversities he “placed himself with the poor, the aged, and the forgotten” (123). However, Hofstadter believed the reasoning behind Lincoln’s constant reminder of his struggles was just to gain sympathy and support in his political career. As historians later found out Lincoln’s family life gave him a much better start than he originally claimed (Winkle 2). Hofstadter set out to prove how Lincoln’s reputation as a “self-made” man was simply just a myth. By using his self-made ethic it advanced not only his political career, it had social and cultural functions as well. He exploited his humble beginnings and people flocked to his word. However, even if Lincoln being self-made was a myth, in believing so it helped to shape the course of Lincoln’s life, to leave his family, to become educated, and to go on to be one of the best president’s in our nation’s

By the time of his speech South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas had already seceded from the Union. In his speech Lincoln had three main points: “to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government,” secession was impossible because the Union was unbreakable, and that any use of arms against the United States would be met with force but he would never be first to attack (Grafton 80). Lincoln aspired to increase his support in the North without alienating the South where most disliked him in fear of the end of slavery. In his speech however, Lincoln made it clear that his intention was not to interfere with slavery quoting “I have no purpose, directly, or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so” (Grafton 81). In hope to make amends with the South Lincoln closed by saying “We are not enemies, but friends. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature” (Grafton 81). Although meant to unify the North and South, this address had a larger impact on another