The Lincolns had four sons. Generations of Lincoln-admirers have played down the role of
Mary in his life and career, easily finding spicy material illustrative of her shortcomings. But the
likelihood is that he would never have become president without her. It took him four years, aged
thirty-three to thirty-seven, to get into Congress, and but for her endless pushing he might have
become discouraged. For his part, he did his best to behave to her gallantly. There is a touching
photograph of her, taken in 1861, arrayed in her inaugural finery, wearing pearls. They were a set
which Lincoln had just bought for her, paying $530, at Tiffany's store on 550 Broadway: a seed-
pearl necklace and matching bracelets for each arm. They are now in the Library of Congress."
Lincoln won a seat for Congress in 1847, by a big majority. The Whig Party gave him $200
for his expenses. He handed back $199.25, having bought only one barrel of cider. He rode to
Washington on his own horse, and staved with friends. But he served only one term-his of the
Capitol, within sight of its windows, was a sort of negro stable where gangs of negroes were sold, and sometimes kept in store for a time pending transport to the Southern market, just like horses.’ Lincoln was broad-minded, tolerant, and inclined to let things alone if possible, but he found this insult to the eye of freedom, literally within sight of Congress,mighty offensive.' The
first law he drafted was a Bill to Abolish Slavery in the District of Columbia, to be enacted by
local referendum (as we have seen it became part of the 1850 Compromise). At the end of his
term, he returned contentedly to the law.
But the slavery issue would not let him rest, or stay out of politics. It was even more persistent
than Mary Lincoln's pushing. Some notes have survived of his musings:
If A can prove, however conclusively, that he may, of right, enslave B, why may not B
snatch the same argument, even prove equally, that he may enslave A? You say A is
white and B is black-is it color then, the lighter having the right to enslave the darker?
Take care-by this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with a fairer skin
than your own. You do not mean color exactly? You mean the whites are intellectually
the superior of the blacks, and therefore have the right to enslave them? Take care again-
by this rule you are to be the slave of the first man you meet, with an intellect superior to
your own.
As Herndon said, All his great qualities were swayed by the despotism of his logic.' There are many memorable descriptions of him lost in thought, turning things over in his mind. Lincoln did a lot of this musing at home, a place in which he kept a low profile. Mary Lincoln said:He is of no account when he is at home. He never does anything except to warm himself
and read. He never went to market in his life. I have to look after all that. He just does nothing.
He is the most useless, good-for-nothing man on earth.' He replied, in his own way: For God, one "d" is enough, but the Todds need two.' He was often driven from his own house by Mary's anger. There are no fewer than six eyewitness descriptions of her furies, one relating to how she drove him out with a broomstick. He was never allowed to ask people to a meal, even or rather especially his parents. He wrote:Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of
himself can spare time for personal contention ... Yield larger things to which you can show no
more than equal right; and yield lesser ones, though clearly your own.' Mary felt his
righteousness as well as his awkwardness: He was mild in his manner,' she said,but a terrible
firm man when he set his foot down. I could always tell when, in deciding anything, he had
reached his ultimatum. At first he was very cheerful, then he lapsed into thoughtfulness, bringing
his lips together in a firm compression. When these symptoms developed, I fashioned myself
accordingly, and so did all others have to do, sooner or later.'