Would I Follow That Guy?
Would I follow that guy who got the job I wanted? It was an unlikely thing that Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. His Republican competitors, by outward appearances, were far more qualified. William Henry Seward had a stellar political career as Governor of New York, and U.S. Senator. Salmon Chase served as Governor of Ohio and also a U.S. Senator. While Edward Bates was only the brother of the Governor of Missouri, he was a local and national leader and served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lincoln had never held a federal office, never been a Governor, and only served one term as a state Representative. Even so, he first won the Republican nomination, and then was elected President in 1860. Seward and Chase were both ambitious and longed for the presidency. Bates was more reluctant, but still a man of strong will. To line up with, and follow (not control) the lesser “qualified” Lincoln seemed like an unreasonable thing. Yet Lincoln chose to surround himself with these very men, appointing Seward as Secretary of State, Chase as Secretary of the Treasury, and Bates as Attorney General. And Lincoln was the “undisputed captain.”[i]
Would I follow that guy who grew up poor? Poverty in the 1800’s was not uncommon, but it was still treated as criminal when a person was unable to pay their debts. The early 1800’s were times of ambition, when young men set their hopes on the promise that a nation could self-govern, and that a man could become whatever and whoever he wanted if he simply set his mind to do so. The northern states had a growing middle class, with opportunity seemingly around every corner. To grow up poor was to grow up without the right training, the right people, and the right motivation. Seward, Chase and Bates all knew difficulty, but still enjoyed the relative luxury of having homes, beds, food, mentors, and access to opportunity. Lincoln, by contrast, at times had none of those things. Many would distrust such a man who grew up in the meanness of poverty; unsure that such a man would have solid values and morals. Even today, there are stereotypes about the poor, and mistrust that builds on these stereotypes.
Would I follow that guy who didn’t have any formal education? Seward, Chase and Bates all had formal education. That had gone to primary and secondary schools, college, and taken the generally recognized path to becoming lawyers by studying under an established lawyer and passing the bar. Lincoln had none of this. Parents had to pay for school, and Lincoln’s parents were poor. It is estimated that in total he spent less than a year in primary school. He taught himself by reading the Bible, Shakespeare, and whatever he could get his hands on. He walked miles to borrow books, and once paid for a damaged book with over two days of hard labor. He memorized passages, and re-read books, and would share his learning with his friends. Yet such study was not valued among the poor, who relied on labor, not study, to live. Lincoln did not study under a lawyer, but rather read books of law and statutes on his own before passing the bar. He pursued education and knowledge with a passion that set him aside from his peers.
Would I follow that guy who held to his moral ideologies even when they might cause even greater conflict? There were many issues at hand in the mid-1800’s: developing a national infrastructure including rail and waterways, developing a national banking system, addressing civil rights. And of course, there was slavery. While the northern states were moving toward ending slavery, and restricting it to states where it already existed, the southern states relied on slavery for their basic economy. Lincoln held to the idea that slavery should end. It would have been easy to let it go; to address slavery as an election platform but not a true action item. It might have prevented the bloodiest and most devastating war in American history. Lincoln, however, saw this as a human rights issue. Upon election, he received death threats. Between his election and taking office, seven southern states seceded from the nation and The Confederate States of America was formed. Not only did Lincoln not back down, but using his presidential authority, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Many would have stopped at that, but he continued to press congress to pass the 13th Amendment in 1865, so that even after the war, slavery would be unconstitutional. The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, and Lincoln was assassinated just six days later. It would have been easier, and safer, to compromise. But he did not.
I honor the leader who surrounds himself with men and women of intelligence, influence, and strengths equal to or greater than the leader. It shows the character of a man who is able to know who he is, and that a strong team produces greater results. I honor the man who rises up from a place of seeming impossibility – of poverty and abuse – to the highest place of influence. By doing so with integrity and diligence, Lincoln developed compassion, intuition, and grace beyond what many who have not struggled so have not developed. He saw possibility, but remain realistic. I honor the man who saw education as a key to change, both individually and collectively. I honor the man who seeks to learn and gain wisdom, no matter what the difficulty. I honor the man who holds to what he believes is right – even when it is unpopular; even when it costs him everything.
I have a hard time doing justice to Team of Rivals. The story is intricate and dense. I have read the study guide, watched the movie, and read the book. I have been humbled by how little I know, and encouraged to dig still deeper. I return to a statement in the introduction as my primary learning.
“(Lincoln’s) success in dealing with the strong egos of the men in his cabinet suggests that in the hands of a truly great politician the qualities we generally associate with decency and morality – kindness, sensitivity, compassion, honesty, and empathy – can also be impressive political resources.”[ii]
I would follow that man.
About the Author
Julie Dodge
Julie loves coffee and warm summer days. She is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Concordia University, Portland, a consultant for non-profit organizations, and a leader at The Trinity Project.4 responses to “Would I Follow That Guy?”
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online tapi tidak bisa di percaya dan tidak memberikan keuntungan
untuk semua pemain yang bergabung dengan agen tersebut.
Tapi ada sebuah situs yang di rekomendasikan oleh banyak orang sebagai agen togel online terpercaya lewat situs pribadi