The "seesaw" of events in history is interesting. At one point the cabinet is so contentious they stop having mtgs and then when attacked from the Comm of 9, they all circle and protect Seward. I wonder if that "seesaw" can only happen i a democracy? It intriques me how our election of presidents has gone from one party, or philosopy, to another, back and forth. It's most notable in the presidential elections of the last 60 yrs: after the crises of the Depression and WWII and wrapping up WWII under Truman, the electorate choose a seemingly calm, in-control-grandfather. Then we choose a young glamourous, exciting Kenndy. After the upheavals of the late 60's we choose a law-and-order man. Then after WAtergate we choose a man who would never lie to us, a soft-spoken southerner. AFter being "humiliated" by the Iranians, we choose a man who was optimistic and very pro-American. But his vice-presidnet when president seemed out of touch, so we choose a brilliant, but down-home, everyday kind of guy, etc. etc. You can write your own story about the last two
I never understood why the people who were for colonization tho't that any other country would take in 3 million people and let them set up a colony when the "colonizers" didn't want to have them here. It never seemed to me to be a well tho't out idea.
I would like to have known Pres Obama before he read ToR. He seems to be following so much of what L tho't/did. On pg 469 L's statement "w/ public sentiment, nothing can fail; w/out it nothing can succed." Certainly O is following that path, did he understand that before he read ToR, or did he absorb that from L? Is he just naturally so much aligned in his thinking and acting w/ L or has he learned from his study of him? The way he has handled the various factions at the G-20 sounds so like L.................is he channeling AL? Where's Shirley McClain when we need answers?
I loved Seward statement about growing old and just when you learn about people and how they behave and how you can respond, you are no longer in position to use the info.................i have had that tho't often............."boy, if i'd have only known that 40 yrs ago!"..........now i try to pass my knowledge on to my children and younger people hoping they can use it.
I did learn 20 yrs ago about military jealousy. When i worked at Ft Dix, at one point the CofStaff was a very competent 6'7" colonel who had on his staff as the cmdr of one of the brigades a 6'5" colonel who by time-served out ranked the CofS, however, because of position the CofS was now his boss. At mtgs the CoS sat at the head of the table, of course. The bgrd cmdr sat to his left. It was a constant spat, otherwise known in the military as a p....ing contest. With 40 high priced directors sitting in the room, the two of them argued about every issue. If one said the sun is shining the other would say "only for the moment, it's turning cloudy." It was a joke and a waste of time and money. Both of them, BTW, were very smart, competent men, they just had this military rivalry going all the time.
I also love the quirks of history like the courier wrapping the cigars in Lee's orders and their being found.
And i am frustrated by the hyperbole of the press - of yesteryear and of today. Charging L w/ inciting an insurrection. Charging O w/ being a socialist. ............ it does surprise me that thruout our history Blacks have been so well behaved in spite of the horrible oppression, misbehavior of the justice system toward them, the snides and slights they have had to endure and the lynchings and murders. The fact that they have been responsible for the beginnings of very few riots or individual assassinations is quite remarkable to me. .......jean
