Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Abraham Lincoln, by James Russell Lowell
We confess that we had our doubts at first whether the patriotism
of our people were not too narrowly provincial to embrace the
proportions of national peril. We felt an only too natural distrust of
immense public meetings and enthusiastic cheers.
That a reaction should follow the holiday enthusiasm with which
the war was entered on, that it should follow soon, and that the
slackening of public spirit should be proportionate to the previous
over-tension, might well be foreseen by all who had studied human
nature or history. Men acting gregariously are always in extremes;
as they are one moment capable of higher courage, so they are
liable, the next, to baser depression, and it is often a matter of
chance whether numbers shall multiply confidence or
discouragement. Nor does deception lead more surely to distrust of
men, than self-deception to suspicion of principles. The only faith
that wears well and holds its color in all weathers is that which is
woven of conviction and set with the sharp mordant of experience.
Enthusiasm is good material for the orator, but the statesman needs
something more durable to work in,--must be able to rely on the
deliberate reason and consequent firmness of the people, without
which that presence of mind, no less essential in times of moral than
of material peril, will be wanting at the critical moment. Would this
fervor of the Free States hold out? Was it kindled by a just feeling
of the value of constitutional liberty? Had it body enough to
withstand the inevitable dampening of checks, reverses, delays?
Had our population intelligence enough to comprehend that the
choice was between order and anarchy, between the equilibrium of
a government by law and the tussle of misrule by
pronunciamiento? Could a war be maintained without the
ordinary stimulus of hatred and plunder, and with the impersonal
loyalty of principle? These were serious questions, and with no
precedent to aid in answering them.
At the beginning of the war there was, indeed, occasion for the
most anxious apprehension. A President known to be infected with
the political heresies, and suspected of sympathy with the treason,
of the Southern conspirators, had just surrendered the reins, we will
not say of power, but of chaos, to a successor known only as the
representative of a party whose leaders, with long training in
opposition, had none in the conduct of affairs; an empty treasury
was called on to supply resources beyond precedent in the history
of finance; the trees were yet growing and the iron unmined with
which a navy was to be built and armored; officers without
discipline were to make a mob into an army; and, above all, the
public opinion of Europe, echoed and reinforced with every vague
hint and every specious argument of despondency by a powerful
faction at home, was either contemptuously sceptical or actively
hostile. It would be hard to over-estimate the force of this latter
element of disintegration and discouragement among a people
where every citizen at home, and every soldier in the field, is a
reader of newspapers. The peddlers of rumor in the North were the
most effective allies of the rebellion. A nation can be liable to no
more insidious treachery than that of the telegraph, sending hourly
its electric thrill of panic along the remotest nerves of the
community, till the excited imagination makes every real danger
loom heightened with its unreal double.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of James Russell Lowell’s Excerpt from Abraham Lincoln
This passage is from James Russell Lowell’s 1864 essay "Abraham Lincoln," part of a series of reflections on the Civil War and Lincoln’s leadership. Lowell, a prominent Fireside Poet, abolitionist, and Harvard professor, wrote this during the war to analyze the challenges facing the Union and the nature of public sentiment in a time of crisis. The excerpt explores doubts about Northern resolve, the fragility of public enthusiasm, and the daunting obstacles the Union faced at the war’s outset.
Context & Background
- Historical Moment: Written in 1864, midway through the Civil War (1861–1865), when the Union’s victory was still uncertain.
- Lowell’s Perspective: A Northern intellectual and abolitionist, Lowell was initially skeptical of Lincoln (viewing him as a rough, unpolished politician) but later admired his steady leadership amid chaos.
- Purpose of the Essay: To reflect on whether the Northern public’s patriotism was deep enough to sustain a long, costly war—not for conquest or hatred, but for principle (Union and liberty).
Key Themes in the Excerpt
1. The Fragility of Public Enthusiasm
Lowell begins by admitting his initial doubts about whether the North’s patriotism was genuine or superficial:
"We confess that we had our doubts at first whether the patriotism of our people were not too narrowly provincial to embrace the proportions of national peril."
He distrusts "holiday enthusiasm"—the emotional, performative patriotism seen in rallies and cheers, which often fades when reality sets in.
Human nature in crises: People swing between extremes—euphoric confidence one moment, despair the next.
"Men acting gregariously are always in extremes; as they are one moment capable of higher courage, so they are liable, the next, to baser depression."
Self-deception vs. conviction: Enthusiasm based on illusion (e.g., believing the war would be short) leads to disillusionment, whereas true conviction, tempered by experience, endures.
"The only faith that wears well and holds its color in all weathers is that which is woven of conviction and set with the sharp mordant of experience."
2. The Challenge of a War Fought for Principle, Not Passion
Lowell questions whether the North could sustain a war without the usual motivators (hatred, plunder, personal glory):
"Could a war be maintained without the ordinary stimulus of hatred and plunder, and with the impersonal loyalty of principle?"
- Most wars are fueled by emotion (vengeance, greed, nationalism), but the Civil War (for the North) was a moral and constitutional struggle—abstract and harder to sustain.
- Would the public understand the stakes? Or would they falter when faced with setbacks, delays, and costs?
"Had it body enough to withstand the inevitable dampening of checks, reverses, delays?"
3. The Daunting Obstacles at the War’s Outset
Lowell lists the overwhelming challenges the Union faced in 1861:
- Political instability: A divided leadership—Buchanan (pro-Southern sympathies) had just left office, and Lincoln (a relative unknown) inherited a chaotic situation.
"A President known to be infected with the political heresies... had just surrendered the reins... to a successor known only as the representative of a party whose leaders... had none in the conduct of affairs."
- Economic crisis: An empty treasury had to fund an unprecedented war effort.
- Military unpreparedness: No navy, no trained officers, no discipline—just "a mob" to be turned into an army.
- Foreign skepticism: Europe (especially Britain and France) doubted the Union’s survival, and Northern newspapers amplified despair.
"The public opinion of Europe... was either contemptuously sceptical or actively hostile."
4. The Danger of Misinformation & Psychological Warfare
Lowell highlights how rumors, newspapers, and telegraphy undermined morale:
"The peddlers of rumor in the North were the most effective allies of the rebellion."
- The telegraph spread panic instantly, making dangers seem worse than they were.
"The telegraph, sending hourly its electric thrill of panic along the remotest nerves of the community, till the excited imagination makes every real danger loom heightened with its unreal double."
- Propaganda & division: Southern sympathizers and defeatist Northerners (Copperheads) exploited fears, weakening resolve.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices
Metaphor & Imagery
- "Faith woven of conviction" → Suggests durability (like fabric) vs. flimsy enthusiasm.
- "Sharp mordant of experience" → A dyeing term (mordant fixes color), implying that hardship makes principles last.
- "Electric thrill of panic" → The telegraph’s instant, jolting effect on public fear.
Rhetorical Questions
- "Would this fervor of the Free States hold out?"
- "Had our population intelligence enough to comprehend that the choice was between order and anarchy?" → Forces the reader to confront the uncertainty of the time.
Parallelism & Contrast
- "Order and anarchy," "government by law and the tussle of misrule" → Highlights the stark choice facing the nation.
- "Higher courage" vs. "baser depression" → Shows the extremes of human behavior in crises.
Historical Allusion
- "Pronunciamiento" → A Spanish term for a military coup, suggesting the South’s rebellion was a lawless power grab.
Irony & Understatement
- "We will not say of power, but of chaos" → Buchanan’s presidency is mocked as ineffective.
- "An empty treasury was called on to supply resources beyond precedent" → A dry understatement of the financial crisis.
Significance of the Passage
A Reflection on Democratic Resolve
- Lowell questions whether democracy can endure a long, principled struggle. Unlike dictatorships (which force obedience), the Union relied on public will—which could waver.
Lincoln’s Leadership in Context
- The essay contrasts Lincoln’s steadiness with the public’s volatility. While crowds swing between hope and despair, Lincoln remains firm—a key reason Lowell later admired him.
The Role of Media in War
- Lowell’s critique of newspapers and telegraphy foreshadows modern concerns about misinformation and psychological warfare.
The Nature of Patriotism
- True patriotism, Lowell argues, is not emotional but rational—rooted in understanding the stakes, not just cheering in the moment.
Conclusion: Why This Matters
Lowell’s passage captures the anxiety of a nation at war with itself. It’s not just about military strategy, but about psychology, leadership, and the endurance of democratic ideals. His skepticism (whether the North could stay united) makes the Union’s eventual victory seem even more remarkable.
Today, the excerpt resonates in discussions about:
- How democracies handle crises (e.g., COVID-19, political polarization).
- The role of media in shaping public morale.
- The difference between fleeting enthusiasm and lasting conviction.
Lowell’s realism—his acknowledgment of doubt and fear—makes his later praise for Lincoln’s leadership all the more powerful. The essay suggests that greatness in leadership is proven not in easy times, but when the odds seem impossible.