The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln-VOL. VII (Chap. 2.196)

Song Meaning

This is less a song and more a historical footnote, a direct annotation from Abraham Lincoln himself. It concerns a memorandum written by General McDowell about a meeting, and Lincoln is essentially fact-checking the historical record. The dominant tone is one of careful, almost pedantic, historical preservation and personal recollection. The core tension lies in Lincoln's precise memory versus the written word attributed to him. He acknowledges the general accuracy of the narrative but takes sharp exception to a specific phrase: "the Jacobinism of Congress." This particular wording, he insists, he does not recall using, either literally or in essence. The craft here is in the directness and the subtle assertion of control over his own narrative. Lincoln isn't just agreeing or disagreeing; he's actively editing history as it's being written. The phrase "which I wish not to be published in any event" is a clear directive, a final word on what will be preserved for posterity. What makes this piece resonate, despite its dry subject matter, is the glimpse into the meticulous nature of leadership and historical accountability. It shows a leader concerned not just with the present decisions but with the exact record of his words, even down to the nuance of a potentially inflammatory phrase about Congress.