Lincoln's rise to the presidency

by Harris, William C

"By describing Lincoln's rise from obscurity to the presidency, William Harris shows that Lincoln's road to political success was far from easy - and that his reaction to events wasn't always wise or his racial attitudes free of prejudice. Although most scholars have labeled Lincoln a moderate, Harris reveals that he was by his own admission a conservative who revered the Founders and advocated 'adherence to the old and tried.' By emphasizing the conservative bent that guided Lincoln's political evolution - his background as a Henry Clay Whig, his rural ties, his cautious nature, and the racial and political realities of central Illinois - Harris provides fresh insight into Lincoln's political ideas and activities and portrays him as morally opposed to slavery but fundamentally conservative in his political strategy against it. Interweaving aspects of Lincoln's life and character that were an integral part of his rise to prominence, Harris provides in-depth coverage of Lincoln's contro