An Alternate Lincoln

Just had a strange thought that I'd like to open up for discussion . I once read on an online magazine a scenario that posited what would happen if Lincoln were disbarred before he could be lawyer. The reason they cite for his disbarring is his " obscene humor " among other things ,though this actually a trumped up charge to disbar Lincoln out of spite . Well, what if after he was disbarred Lincoln returned home , disgusted with politics , and decided to put his " obscene humor" to good use ,becoming a satirist . First publishing stories in newspapers then his own novels, he becomes famed for his unusual cadence , deadpan humor , and use of dialect. Yes , dear readers, I'm asking its plausible for Lincoln to become Mark Twain:D
 

Rstone4

Banned
Just had a strange thought that I'd like to open up for discussion . I once read on an online magazine a scenario that posited what would happen if Lincoln were disbarred before he could be lawyer. The reason they cite for his disbarring is his " obscene humor " among other things ,though this actually a trumped up charge to disbar Lincoln out of spite . Well, what if after he was disbarred Lincoln returned home , disgusted with politics , and decided to put his " obscene humor" to good use ,becoming a satirist . First publishing stories in newspapers then his own novels, he becomes famed for his unusual cadence , deadpan humor , and use of dialect. Yes , dear readers, I'm asking its plausible for Lincoln to become Mark Twain:D

No, but Lincoln and Twain, Lincoln being the elder and Twain being the younger could be a comic duo of the 19th century.

"Upon hearing of my old mentors death, i could only think of these words. I hope he remembered that I took a fancy to the china set, and would truly miss his company"-- Mark Twain upon being informed of the Death of Abe Lincoln in May 1878
 
.

"Upon hearing of my old mentors death, i could only think of these words. I hope he remembered that I took a fancy to the china set, and would truly miss his company"-- Mark Twain upon being informed of the Death of Abe Lincoln in May 1878
Well before reading this I had about five scenarios involving Lincoln . Everything from Lincoln being barkeep at the tavern where Booth stops in after assassinating the president to Lincoln becoming a cross between Henry Turtledove and Mark Twain thanks to ASB.... But the FEELS I felt reading your quote gives me the idea for a sixth where Lincoln and Twain perform at the American Centennial with Twain being the snarky straight man and Lincoln the comic foil . Is this a real quote just repurposed or did you make it up? If so how'd you come with the quote and date
 

Rstone4

Banned
Well before reading this I had about five scenarios involving Lincoln . Everything from Lincoln being barkeep at the tavern where Booth stops in after assassinating the president to Lincoln becoming a cross between Henry Turtledove and Mark Twain thanks to ASB.... But the FEELS I felt reading your quote gives me the idea for a sixth where Lincoln and Twain perform at the American Centennial with Twain being the snarky straight man and Lincoln the comic foil . Is this a real quote just repurposed or did you make it up? If so how'd you come with the quote and date

So, I am a history major and currently plan to make my area of focus the gilded age and progressive era, so, I am studying Sam Clemens. I've only had the chance to read a little bit of his work (while having many volumes of his stuff sitting around) so I have been learning his style.

The date I just made a wild guess that Lincoln, should he not have been president, might have lived around 70 years which seemed to be on the long side for a 19th century man of means.

I thought back to how Twain wrote and spoke about things and assembled something that I thought he would have said.

The fact that invoked feelings suggested that I did it correctly.
 

Zioneer

Banned
This isn't as interesting as satirist Lincoln, but apparently Lincoln was active in Illinois at the same time the Mormons were, and was actually elected Congressman a year after they left Illinois. So what if he had encountered them before his election (when they were packing up to leave) and converted to Mormonism? He probably knew about them before (though I haven't been able to find any info on that), but having him meet the Mormons face-to-face and join them on their exodus to Utah would be fun.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Entertaining, but remember this was an era where one simply

Just had a strange thought that I'd like to open up for discussion . I once read on an online magazine a scenario that posited what would happen if Lincoln were disbarred before he could be lawyer. The reason they cite for his disbarring is his " obscene humor " among other things ,though this actually a trumped up charge to disbar Lincoln out of spite . Well, what if after he was disbarred Lincoln returned home , disgusted with politics , and decided to put his " obscene humor" to good use ,becoming a satirist . First publishing stories in newspapers then his own novels, he becomes famed for his unusual cadence , deadpan humor , and use of dialect. Yes , dear readers, I'm asking its plausible for Lincoln to become Mark Twain:D


"read for the law" and could hang out a shingle; professional education and regulation/licensing to the standard of the Twentieth (and Twenty-first) centuries was very much a product of the Progressive Era.

There's a pretty good case to be made that voluntary professional associations - although certainly part of American economic and working life in the East - didn't really come into being in a large way nationally until after the Civil War, in part because of the common experience of large, state-wide and multi-state organizations that arose during the war (the Union Clubs, GAR, etc.)

The Illinois Bar State Bar Association was founded in 1871, for example.

And Lincoln, who was essentially an auto-didact except for his legal education, was - as many have argued - meant for the law; hard to see him enjoying anything else as much.

Although you've given me an idea for Clemens for BROS...thanks.

Best,
 

TFSmith121

Banned
"Burnished Rows of Steel"...

The POD is one I borrowed I actually know nothing about law certification :eek: Always glad to help give ideas :D what's BROS though?

My shot at a greater North American war in the 1860s.

Given Sam's riverine experience, something came to mind.

Best,
 
This isn't as interesting as satirist Lincoln, but apparently Lincoln was active in Illinois at the same time the Mormons were, and was actually elected Congressman a year after they left Illinois. So what if he had encountered them before his election (when they were packing up to leave) and converted to Mormonism? He probably knew about them before (though I haven't been able to find any info on that), but having him meet the Mormons face-to-face and join them on their exodus to Utah would be fun.

Clearly Lincoln would be the ATL Bringham Young :D:p:cool:
 
Oddly enough Lincoln religiosity after hearing his son's eulogy ( he was sorta deist before then) might make him less misanthropic than Twain OTL putting a more hopeful ( but no less acerbic :D) tone in his later works than Twain
Who would be president in lieu of Lincoln ?

William H. Seward
 
So, I am a history major and currently plan to make my area of focus the gilded age and progressive era, so, I am studying Sam Clemens. I've only had the chance to read a little bit of his work (while having many volumes of his stuff sitting around) so I have been learning his style.

The date I just made a wild guess that Lincoln, should he not have been president, might have lived around 70 years which seemed to be on the long side for a 19th century man of means.

I thought back to how Twain wrote and spoke about things and assembled something that I thought he would have said.

The fact that invoked feelings suggested that I did it correctly.
As someone who eighth grade worshiping Twain you hit the nail on the head:D
Oh, btw what started and ended the glided age? Lincoln not being president might butterfly it away, if my suspicions are correct and Grant is involved
 

Rstone4

Banned
Allen Guelzo describes it as "calvinized deism" in Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President; works for me.

Best,

I'd have to read the work where Guelzo explains that because Calvinism and Deism are 180 degrees apart in core concept. Either God went on vacation, or God is here picking winners and losers every day.
 
You'd surprised what syncretism allows.:D Perhaps God picks winners and losers but then let's the world run it's course impersonally. His faith becomes more clear cut after his son's death, according to the PBS special "God in America "
 
Here's another question what impact would Twain! Lincoln cause ? Both by the absence of Lincoln as we know him and the addition of whatever this Lincoln adds to society as a whole.
 
Last edited:
Top