Judging Lincoln - Hardcover

Many of Judge Williams's lectures have appeared in print before, both in journals and in important collections of the papers and proceedings of scholarly conferences. What has been lacking - until now - is a single volume of his best work. Its arrival promises to reveal, to a wider audience than ever, his highly original perspective, his gift for comprehensive analysis of complex legal and political issues, and his relentless curiosity about the deepest, often least-studied, aspects of Abraham Lincoln's life and career. Lincoln scholars used to be referred to as 'authorities.' It is a title one cannot help but feel rests comfortably on Frank J. Williams's shoulders: he is an authoritative figure in every sense of the phrase. - Harold Holzer, from the Foreword

This volume collects nine essays on the topic of Abraham Lincoln as written over the last 20 years of the 20th century by Frank J. Williams, Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. For Williams, Lincoln remains the central figure of the American experience - past, present and future. Williams begins with a survey of the interest in - and influence of - Lincoln both at home and abroad and then moves into an analysis of Lincoln's personal character with respect to his ability to foster relationships of equality among his intimates. Williams then addresses Lincoln's leadership abilities during the span of his career, with particular emphasis on the Civil War. Classifying Lincoln's leadership has been difficult, as he could at times adopt the stance of autocrat or democrat, conservative or liberal, idealist or Machiavellian. Williams defends the value of each stance within its historical context. Next, Williams enters into a qualitative comparison between Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill to explain why Lincoln not only ranks as America's greatest leader but also holds that same position among the pantheon of all the world's democratic leaders. The volume concludes with an essay (written by Mark E. Neely Jr.) on collecting Lincoln artefacts as another means of preserving and fostering the Lincoln legacy. The collection contains 49 illustrations from The Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, and there is an epilogue by John Y. Simon.