This is how Presidents used to write

[question everything]

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln

[kliljedahl]

1. & now we have one who can't even speak.

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[wtmusic]

2. When Dubya comes up with a letter like that

monkeys will fly from my butt.

[smartvoter]

6. He doesn't even attend fallen soldiers' funerals. He's a joke. nt

[SusanF_CA]

7. don't worry

your butt is quite safe : )

[MadisonProgressive]

11. Put down the K-Y jelly

Dubya doesn't even have speechwriters that can write like that.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. He was a man who had a way with words

Glorious Leader is a gnat next to Lincoln. The Stunted Shrub is nothing more than a drooling, pueling, nose-dripping, cross-eyed, spastic, drugged up, vicious, malicious, cowardly, bullying, brain burned brat who couldn't meld two words together properly with a welding torch even if someone else were to hold the torch.

I'm sure I haven't quite nailed it, but I promise it's fairly close. It's a good thing I'm disposed to be kind.

[splat@14]

5. You were way too nice.......n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. And Lincoln went to school less than a year

What he learned he WANTED to learn, and it took diligence and self-discipline.

If you'd really like to hear Lincoln's words come alive, I'd suggest you catch on of Sam Waterston's performances of "Lincoln Seen and Heard" or watch the C-SPAN program where Sam recreates Lincoln's Cooper Union speech. (I'd like to think that Mr. Waterston is more representative of Yale graduates than the occupant of the White House.)

[jimshoes]

8. I pity the future actors

who have to portray the chimp in movies about the * years. They will have to learn to speak in sentence fragments and study how to portray the dumbest president in history.

[siliconefreak]

9. yep

And then the RW will talk about how "liberal Hollywood" is "once again" misrepresenting them, making Bush look stupid, etc. Mark my words.

[MadisonProgressive]

13. And they will have to practice looking really dumb

[question everything]

10. Yes, Sam Waterston is the ultimate Lincoln

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. in more ways than one

Like Lincoln, Sam Waterston is a warm, compassionate, and kind person. Know this from personal experience.

[Fleshdancer]

15. he had more formal education than that

he was a lawyer.

[Bake]

19. He "read for the bar"

Abe studied as an "apprentice" and read law books. He never went to law school. But he "got it" more than most law school grads.

Bake, Esq.

[Fleshdancer]

21. incredible n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. Lawyers didn't go to school back then

Basically, Lincoln read Blackstone and possibly had some tutoring from some other attorneys, but most of his studying was done on his own. He was examined and admitted to the Bar, but it was an oral examination, not a written one.

[rndmprsn]

14. keep in mind...these beautiful words come from a man who's parents...

could not read...amazing.

[question everything]

16. Yes, and the Gettysburg Address

also short and to the point.

[GarySeven]

17. LINCOLN DID NOT WRITE THIS

It was actually John Hay, writing on Lincoln's behalf, as he often did. This is one of the oldest myths of the Civil War and it is routinely repeated.

Of course, this does not detract from the note's eloquence and the comfort that the recipient received.

[SaveElmer]

20. Actually...

My understanding is the authorship of the Bixby letter is still in dispute. Some believe it was Hay, others believe it is a forgery, and some believe it was Lincoln. It certainly was not beyond the capabilities of Lincoln to have written it. However, I think more research is required.

Also, I think only 2 of the 5 sons were actually killed

[Contrary1]

18. Why would anyone ever expect the Dim Son to write a letter like this?

Hell...he isn't even a president.