An Oral History of Abraham Lincoln: John G. Nicolay's Interviews Jet and Essays (review)

I76CIVIL WAR HISTORY soldiers who had fallen afoul of the military justice system and had been sentenced to death (172). All in all, however, this is a valuable addition to the Lincoln Uterature and will long remain the authoritative work on the subject. Hans L. Trefousse Brooklyn College and Graduation Center, CUNY An Oral History of Abraham Lincoln: John G. Nicolay's Interviews Jet and Essays. Edited by Michael Burlingame. (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1996. Pp. 208. $29.95.) This slender volume reflects an effort on the part of some Lincoln scholars to reexamine reminiscences gathered by early Lincoln biographers. The work presents interviews conducted by John G. Nicolay, Lincoln's private secretary from i860 to 1865, primarily during the 1870s in preparation for Nicolay's tenvolume biography, Abraham Lincoln: A History (1890), jointly authored by Lincoln's assistant secretary, John Hay. Also, two essays written by Nicolay are published for the first time at the conclusion of the book. The winner of the 1 995 Abraham LincolnAssociation Prize, the project brings together transcripts originally found at Brown University, the Library of Congress, and the Illinois State Historical Library in Springfield. For the most part, the book follows a geographic organization. The first section contains reminiscences gathered in Springfield, from several Lincoln associates including OrviUe H. Browning, John Todd Stuart, William Butler, Jesse K. DuBois, and Stephen T. Logan. Conversations that took place in Washington, D.C., with individuals such as Simon Cameron, Norman B. Judd, Ward Hill Lamon, Lyman Trumbull, Hannibal Hamlin, and others comprise a second section . Completing the book are a handful of other reminiscences and two articlelength essays by Nicolay, "Lincoln in the Campaign of i860" and "Some Incidents in Lincoln's Journey from Springfield to Washington." The essays contain the author's personal recollections of Lincoln's handling of his first presidential campaign and concerns over security during Lincoln's trip toWashington as president-elect in 1861. Nicolay's research in Springfield provides more information about Lincoln's early life—including his relationship with women, the Black Hawk War, his early political career, and his law practice— than his years as president. The Washington interviews provide an inside look at Republican politics during the Lincoln administration as well as Lincoln's role as war president. The personal reminiscences not only provide source material for Lincoln historians, but they make for enjoyable reading, adding color and detail to the story of Lincoln and his times. Burlingame's editorial work is solid. The introduction presents a brief biographical sketch of Nicolay and discusses his approach toward oral history. Burlingame notes misgivings that both Nicolay and Hay had about using the interviews in their work, both because of doubts about their BOOK REVIEWS177 accuracy and because of the influence of Robert Todd Lincoln on their work, but concludes that the recoUections still have value for the discerning and cautious historian. Burlingame's footnotes provide needed historical and historiographical context for the recollections ofLincoln's associates. Helpful also are indications ofwhere Nicolay eventually used the interviews in his writings on Lincoln. Lincoln scholars should find this volume useful because of the information it brings together in one place and stimulating because of the larger questions it raises concerning the use of historical evidence. Judith A Rice Southwest Missouri State University Lewis Cass and the Politics of Moderation. By Willard Carl Klunder. (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1996. Pp. 416. $39.00) Lewis Cass played an important role in American Democratic politics from the early republic to the sectional crisis. As territorial governor, he shepherded Michigan through the war of 1812. A life-long Democrat, he served as a secretary of war to Andrew Jackson, minister to France under Martin Van Buren, senator from Michigan, and Democratic presidential nominee in 1848. More important than the offices he served was his crucial role in promoting Manifest Destiny and articulating the doctrine of popular sovereignty, which was meant to give western territories self-determination on the slavery issue. As architect of the popular sovereignty idea later espoused by Stephen Douglas, the politician's ideas played a central role in debate surrounding the rising sectional conflict. Remarkably, Lewis Cass and the...