I have drawn inspiration and much of the background material for this letter from an article entitled “The Master of the Game” by noted historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. During difficult times, it can be useful to draw upon history and those who shaped it. Let”s take a closer look at an American hero.
As a young man, he practiced law in Springfield, IL during the 1800s. As you drive around the state of Illinois today, from Chicago south to Cairo, you will see his name adorned to the state”s licenses plates. I am speaking of course of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln.
When Lincoln arrived in Washington, he didn”t have much political experience, his learning was derided and his election was considered a stroke of luck.
His previous national political experience was one term in Congress and two failed Senate races. He had absolutely no administrative experience and only one year of formal schooling. Newspapers at the time described him as a third-rate country lawyer and a fourth-rate lecturer.
In contrast, Lincoln”s three opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860 were household names in Republican circles. Each was better educated, more experienced and more qualified. Nonetheless, Lincoln secured the nomination and went on to win the election.
Then he stunned the political world by appointing all three of his rivals to his cabinet. Lincoln”s critics were certain that he had failed this first test of leadership. An editorial of the day opined, “The construction of a cabinet, like the courting of a shrewd girl, belongs to the branch of the fine arts with which the new Executive is not acquainted.”
In fact, Lincoln demonstrated great courage and self-reliance by choosing the three knowing they were still smarting from the loss. A less confident man might have surrounded himself with personal supporters who wouldn”t question his authority.
“Lincoln was a towering political genius, not because he had mastered the traditional rules of the game, but because he possessed a number of emotional strengths that are rarely found in political life.” He possessed what we would call today a first-class emotional intelligence.
He consistently demonstrated a generosity of spirit toward his fellow man. During the early days of the war, Lincoln”s first Secretary of War Simon Cameron, came under fire from Congress for some wasteful contracts. Middlemen had made off with scandalous profits by selling the Union Army blind horse, pistols that didn”t fire and knapsacks which disintegrated in the rain.
Lincoln publicly took the blame for the wasteful contracts saying, “he and his cabinet were at least equally responsible.”
He also shared credit with members of his cabinet for successes in the war effort. After victories at Vicksburg and Chattanooga, General Ulysses S. Grant came to Washington to take command of all Union forces and was greeted as a conquering hero at a White House ceremony.
“Standing to the side, Lincoln willingly ceded the place of honor he normally occupied, fully aware, as few other politicians would have been, that “the path to ambition” was wide enough for the two of them “to walk it abreast.”
Lincoln”s leadership pulled the country through a difficult time in our history. The qualities he brought to bear on the issues of his day are timeless and relevant today. They exist in varying degrees in each of you and will reside in future leaders: empathy, humor, self-control, a sense of balance, magnanimity, perspective and a social conscience.
Let”s flex our leadership muscle locally by being the “masters of the game” in our homes, our workplaces, our community organizations and places of worship.
Michael E. Tabacchi
Middletown
