Thank Goodness It's Monday #396

CASHING IN ON HONEST ABE

The acclaimed film “Lincoln” leads this year’s Oscar race with 12 nominations. Since its release in November, it’s grossed roughly $250 million worldwide at the box office by my rough and quick to-date tally.

So, if you don’t mind, I’m going to cash in on that popularity.

While it’s been a bit of a TGIM Tradition to commemorate Presidents Day by acknowledging that the Federal holiday is supposed to be inclusive of all the holders of the office, today I’m concentrating on the 16th president –

Abraham Lincoln



The Lincoln statue at the foot of the Essex County NJ Courthouse steps

in Newark, NJ was created by the world-renowned sculptor

Gutzon Borglum.

Portraying a weary Lincoln during the darkest hours of the Civil War,

the bronze statue is one-third larger than life-size.

Theodore Roosevelt attended the statue's dedication ceremony,

held in 1911.

 

Borglum's most celebrated work – or is it works? -- are his 60-feet tall carvings
of the heads of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt
at Mt Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

►Honest Abe

►The Rail Splitter

►The Great Emancipator

►The Liberator

►The Sage of Springfield

►Father Abraham and Uncle Abe

►The Uncommon Friend of the Common Man 

His enemies called him The Ape. 

His White House staff fondly called him The Tycoon and insiders called him The Ancient One for his wisdom.

Speaking of his ancestry, Lincoln once remarked: I don’t know who my grandfather was, and I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.

Of course, we know the notable and noble fulfillment of this “concern” of Lincoln’s.

In addition to the February birthday of our Founding Father and first President, George Washington, it’s primarily Lincoln (also a February birthday, February 12, 1809) who provides the basis for observing a rounded-off-to-Monday federally prescribed Presidents Day holiday today.

And since it is a holiday – I’m not going to tie up too much of your time. And I’m giving myself a break as well. I’m not going to write too much more “original” for this TGIM. 

TGIM ACTION IDEA: I’m defaulting to Lincoln’s own words in the expectation they can provide guidance and inspiration suitable to our challenges in our times. I’m going to try to avoid what my aging memory tells me are commonly known quotes or those that are most directly to the issues of the Civil War and share with you Lincoln thoughts that will lead to new personal insights.

Let’s start with a standard Lincoln clearly set for himself:

… men should utter nothing for which they could not willingly be responsible through time and eternity.

And –

I am very little inclined on any occasion to say anything unless I hope to produce some good by it.

Likewise for this TGIM. So let’s continue:

If we could at first know where we are, and wither we are tending, we could better judge what we do, and how to do it.

Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.

I have never had a policy. I have simply tried to do what seemed best each day, as each day came.

I have not willingly planted a thorn is any man’s bosom.

Reputation is like fine china: Once broken it's very hard to repair.

Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.

Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.

I say “try”; if we never try, we shall never succeed.

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.

Half-finished work generally proves to be labor lost.

I don’t think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.

I shall try to correct errors where shown to be errors, and I shall adopt new views as fast as they shall appear to be true views.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing.

When I am getting ready for an argument, I spend one third of my time thinking about what I am going to say, and two thirds about what my opponent will say.

 

Every man has his own peculiar and particular way of doing things, and he is often criticized because that way is not the one adopted by others. The great idea is to accomplish what you set out to do.

Let us dare to do our duty as we understand it.

I consider my TGIM duty for today done.

Inspired by the spirit of “The Uncommon Friend of the Common Man,” please do your duty – this Presidents Day and daily -- likewise.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com



Several days after the state convention,
the Republican Party held its national convention
in Chicago and nominated Lincoln for president.
Lincoln did not actively campaign for office (as was the custom),
but his supporters staged a lively campaign.
An unknown artist created this mythical, life-size portrait of
Lincoln the Railsplitter to be used at public rallies. 
Note that there’s an image of the White House
on the distant horizon.

P.S. On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected sixteenth president of the United States. He won as “The Railsplitter” candidate, a nickname acquired the previous May when Illinois Republicans convened at Decatur to endorse a favorite son for president.

Lincoln was the likely choice but his supporters felt he needed a catchier nickname than “Old Abe” or “Honest Abe.” Thus, Richard J. Oglesby and John Hanks, a first cousin of Lincoln’s mother, located a split-rail fence supposedly built by Lincoln in 1830. When they walked into the hall carrying two of the rails—decorated with flags, streamers, and a sign that read, “Abraham Lincoln/The Rail Candidate”—the crowd went wild.

 

Although Lincoln claimed he could not say for certain that he had split those particular rails, he said that “he had mauled many and many better ones since he had grown to manhood.” By now, Lincoln was a prominent lawyer, not a backwoodsman. But, he had split rails in his youth, and the image held enormous appeal to voters (all male) who shared similar backgrounds and cultural beliefs about the merits of hard work and self-reliance.