I'm reading (of all things) a self-help book and it discusses an incident where Lincoln pissed someone off and the victim challenged Lincoln to a duel in 1842.
"Lincoln was opposed to dueling, but he couldn't get out of it and save his honor...on the appointed day, he and Shields met on a sandbar in the Mississippi, prepared to fight to the death; but at the last minute, their seconds interrupted and stopped the duel."
Well, suppose the seconds don't interfere. Two possible outcomes:
1. Lincoln loses the duel and is killed.
2. Lincoln wins the duel...but is seen as a murderer. As long as he doesn't try to get into politics, he'll be fine
"Lincoln was opposed to dueling, but he couldn't get out of it and save his honor...on the appointed day, he and Shields met on a sandbar in the Mississippi, prepared to fight to the death; but at the last minute, their seconds interrupted and stopped the duel."
Well, suppose the seconds don't interfere. Two possible outcomes:
1. Lincoln loses the duel and is killed.
2. Lincoln wins the duel...but is seen as a murderer. As long as he doesn't try to get into politics, he'll be fine