SPIELBERG’S LINCOLN

Spielberg’s Lincoln could not come at a more poignant time in American history. It is a story about, undisputedly, one of America’s greatest President’s resolve to abolish slavery and reunite America, told by, probably one of the greatest cinematographic directors of all time. The Lincoln movie epic is being screened when America is at yet another crossroads, between dissolution of its greatness and reinventing itself yet again.

Ironically, at this time, the President of America is an African American who himself acknowledges that he would not be there had it not been as a result of those who paved the way for equality in this country. The President’s hero is the selfsame Abraham Lincoln,

Superlatives there will be many about this production, (that unlike other productions has not been challenged as to historical accuracy, thanks in no small part to Dorothy Kearns Goodwin and Toby Kushner and Spielberg not deviating from their narratives).  But this cinematic experience is about so many realities that it is difficult to cover them all in one sitting. The major objective of this blog is to examine the political genius, leadership and bravery of Lincoln.

Spielberg has said this is only the second time that he has directed a film with a message. The other movie was Schindler’s list. The message of Schindler’s list was far more clear-cut than the messages of Lincoln. Although neither epic romanticized its heroes, rather seeing them as complex human beings, the issues in Lincoln are far more and have profound prospective consequences rather than Schindler’s list that lay bare the greatest atrocity in history.

IN THE BEGINNING........

 Lincoln is fraternizing with two former slaves that have been emancipated to help fight the Union’s war against the Confederate South. One of them a Corporal Ira Clark says:

“Now that white people have accustomed themselves to seeing Negro men with guns fighting on their behalf, and now that they can tolerate Negro soldiers getting the same pay - in a few years perhaps they can abide the idea of Negro lieutenants and captains. In fifty years, maybe a Negro colonel. In a hundred years - the vote”.

Even this highly articulate and activist Colonel would not have dreamed, “In 150 years time – maybe a Negro President.”

THE PROPOSED 13^Th AMENDMENT – THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY

The Republican President Lincoln has just achieved a major victory at the polls. Sixty- four Democrats loosing their seats in the House of Representatives accompanied his re-election. In addition the Civil War is going extremely well and it is just a matter of time that the South must sue for peace.

Lincoln, in the” lame duck” period prior to the new Congress, wants to introduce a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery. He believes that if this is not achieved before peace has been negotiated no -one will have the political will in the reconstruction period to go – ahead. He literally has no support in this endeavor and is thought to be unhinged in his judgment. However, his rationale to most of the naysayers in his party and the opposition is that if slavery is abolished then the South must surrender. His real motivation is that once the war is won there will be no support for his amendment. His opposition is more intent in bringing about peace and stopping the wholesale slaughter that has killed 600,000 men.

Mary Lincoln pleads with her brooding husband:

“No one’s loved as much as you, no one’s ever been loved so much, by the people, you might do anything now. Don’t, don’t waste that power on an amendment bill that’s sure of defeat.”

His Secretary of State, Seward, is the first in Government to point out to Lincoln the perceived folly of his rationale:

“You’ll begin your second term with semi-divine stature. Imagine the possibilities peace will bring. Why tarnish your invaluable luster with a battle in the House? It’s a rats’ nest in there, the same gang of talentless hicks and hacks that rejected the amendment ten months back. We’ll lose.”

Lincoln demonstrates to Seward, through the attitudes of citizen petitioners that flow through the President’s Office, that if peace is achieved then the need for the abolition of slavery falls away. Seward is persuaded.

FURTHER LINCOLN OBSTACLES.

The Conservative branch of Lincoln’s Republican Party is more interested in peace and a cessation of the carnage than they are in slavery abolition. However Lincoln has a relationship, based on trust with Blair the patriarch of the Conservative Republicans. Blair will deliver the Conservative votes if Lincoln will agree to listen to Southern peace initiatives. Lincoln agrees and Blair sets out to reassure Southern leaders of this pledge.

Lincoln faces near revolt from his cabinet and convinces them that this has to be done on Constitutional grounds, The Cabinet listen spellbound by his oratory and command of the constitutional issues. He convincingly argues that in effect, in his wartime proclamation, he was confiscating rebel property, slaves, under the power he has at wartime. States have power over property so if they make peace, their property, slaves, need to be returned.

He concludes not by asking for their support but rather by demanding it:

“That’s why I’d like to get the Thirteenth Amendment through the House, and on its way to ratification by the states, wrap the whole slavery thing up, forever and aye. As soon as I’m able. Now. End of this month. And I’d like you to stand behind me. Like my cabinet’s most always done.”

Lincoln’s next problem is James Ashley the leader of the Republicans in the House on Amendments to the Constitution. He had unsuccessfully introduced the selfsame amendment 8 months earlier.

It’s impossible. No, I am sorry, no, we can’t organize anything immediately in the House. I have been canvassing the Democrats since the election, in case any of them softened after they got walloped. But they have stiffened if anything, There aren’t nearly enough votes

Lincoln does not take no for an answer and Ashley is sent off to get the votes.

Lincoln has one more obstacle within the party – Thaddeus Stevens. The latter is the leader of the radical faction of the Republican Party who wants full equality for the Negroes including the vote. He might not settle just for emancipation. Stevens, further, has little respect for Lincoln regarding him as a prevaricator and a capitulating compromiser. Stevens’s caucus wants him to reject Lincoln’s amendment, as it does not go far enough.

Lincoln spars with Stevens and summates:

“A compass, I learnt when I was surveying, it’ll - it’ll point you True North from where you’re standing, but it’s got no advice about the swamps and deserts and chasms that you’ll encounter along the way. If in pursuit of your destination you plunge ahead, heedless of obstacles, and achieve nothing more than to sink in a swamp, what’s the use of knowing True North?”                                         

PERSUADING DEMOCRATS TO DEFECT.

In addition to having to secure every Republican vote Lincoln needs 20 democratic votes to obtain the two-thirds majority needed to pass an amendment.

Seward recruits two “Lobbyists” to “persuade” defeated Democrats to switch. The bait will be jobs in the new Lincoln administration. It is slow going to say the least and is hampered by the fact that the lure of the job offers are not enough and the fact that there are persistent rumors that the Southerners are coming to Washington to sue for peace.

In the end, when there appears to be a stalemate, Lincoln wades in and sees potential defectors one at a time. He listens to them, cajoles them, and generally does what needs to be done on a one on one basis to taking abuse but accepting the potentially “persuadable” as challengeable equals.

In a particular poignant sequence Lincoln, in attempting to connect with a wavering Democratic Congressman explains his first encounter with the horror of slavery.

“I saw a barge once, Mr. Yeaman, filled with colored men in chains, heading down the Mississippi to the New Orleans slave markets. It sickened me, ‘n more than that, it brought a shadow down, a pall around my eyes. Slavery troubled me, as long as I

can remember, in a way it never troubled my father, though he hated it.”

In addition Lincoln is not above offering a Congressional seat to another potential Democratic defector – he will do whatever it takes.

PEACE OR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY,

As a background to all of this it becomes more and more self evident that if peace is reached before the amendment is debated all interest will be lost in the latter.

Blair returns from his sojourn to the Southerners who are ready to make peace:

“Think of all the boys who’ll die if you don’t make peace. You must talk with these men!”

Lincoln stays focused and asks in return that Blair delivers his votes for the amendment and Blair responds:

“I will procure your votes for you, as I promised. You’ve always kept your word to me. Those Southern men are coming. I beg you, in the name of Gentle Christ -Talk peace with these men”.

Seward is taken aback by this encounter and despairs – “It’s either peace or the amendment you cannot have both”.

The rumors of the Southern peacekeeping mission impact on the “Lobbyists” who say they have lost ground as a result.  They inelegantly tell Seward:

“Among the few remaining representatives who seem remotely plausible there is a perceptible increase in resistance……”

“If Jeff Davis wants to cease hostilities, who do you think will give a genuine solid shit to free slaves?”

More significantly the one man, Lincoln trusts more than anyone else, General Grant counsels peace:

“I am convinced, upon conversation with these Commissioners, that their intentions are good and their desire sincere to restore peace and union…. I will be sorry should it prove impossible for you to have an interview with them. I am awaiting your instructions”.

.

Lincoln in the face of all this after long personal angst, once again, risks all and telegraphs Grant:

“Have Captain Saunders convey the gentlemen aboard the River Queen as far as Hampton Roads, Virginia, and there wait until.....further advice from me. Do not

proceed to Washington.”

The pressure mounts on Lincoln to sue for peace. Blair, who had “delivered” the Conservative Republicans, demands:

‘…..you’ve had no defections from the Republican right…… - Where the hell are the commissioners’ (Blair unaware that Lincoln has them holed up in Virginia).

Present at this meeting with Blair is James Ashley the Republican Manager of the Amendment. He is floored by this exchange and explodes uncontrollably:

“Oh God...It’s true! You, you...lied to me, Mr. Lincoln! You evaded my requests for a denial that, that there is a Confederate peace offer because, because there is one! We are absolutely guaranteed to lose the whole thing.”

Lincoln so close to achieving his vision angrily retorts explaining the significance for humanity of abolition. He reiterates, what has become obvious, this has to be done now!

“I can’t listen to this anymore! I can’t accomplish a goddamned thing of any human meaning or worth until we cure ourselves of slavery and end this pestilential war, and whether any of you or anyone else knows it, I know I need this! This amendment is that cure! We’re stepped out upon the world’s stage now, now, with the fate of human dignity in our hands! Blood’s been spilt to afford us this….. Abolishing slavery by constitutional provision settles the fate, for all coming time, not only of the millions now in bondage but of unborn millions to come.

And for once Lincoln threatens:

“I am the President of the United States of America, clothed in immense power! You will procure me these votes.”

There is to be a final threat to the passing of the amendment, as the Republican leader of the House demands a postponement on the basis of affidavits he has just received:

“ They testify that Commissioners have indeed come north and ought to have arrived by now in Washington City! Bearing an offer of immediate cessation of our civil war! “

The Conservative faction of the Republicans, under Blair’s direction, joins in the vote for postponement till the President responds:

“The conservative faction of border and western Republicans cannot approve this amendment, about which we harbor grave doubts, if a peace offer is being held hostage to its success.”

Lincoln is left with what is thought to be an impossible situation. If he lies to Congress impeachment hangs over his head. Nonplussed he replies that as far as he knows there are no peace commissioners in Washington and that nor are there likely to be. With this response the House erupts the Democrats not buying the response for a minute and the Republicans screaming to continue. The fate of whether to proceed or not hangs in the balance and the Conservative Republican Patriarch, Blair. The latter hesitatingly gives the Republican faction the go ahead to continue and so they do:

“The conservative Republican faction’s satisfied, and we thank Mr. Lincoln. I move to table Mr. Wood’s motion.”

The 13^th Amendment to abolish slavery narrowly obtains the two thirds majority needed.

LINCOLN AND LEADERSHIP.

The charismatic Lincoln had every tribute needed to lead – vision, political and personal skills, integrity, and statesmanship.

There is a vast difference between political leadership and activism although both require vision – a view of the future. The activist requires articulating his or her vision but the political leader has to translate the vision into change. The activist need not compromise but the leader must.

Lincoln had the vision and also pocessed the attribute of not getting to far ahead of his following. (Negro voting rights, for example, would have to wait for another day). A leader who has the discipline to accept that his vision can only come in increments is more likely to succeed

In order to effect change the leader has to persuade, compromise and do what ever it takes to obtain votes from those who have other agendas, other constituencies and other self needs. ( It helps if there is a sense of humor which Lincoln certainly had). Either the leader has to do this or get someone else to do it for him or her. Lincoln was personally involved with leadership of all sides of the spectrum of his party and when it finally came down to it he personally canvassed the democratic “persuadables’.

He has to have the insight as to timing and the determination to get the job done. Lincoln knew, however counterintuitive it might have seemed, that he had to risk all in the lame duck session or the constitutional amendment would never get passed.

Also the President of the United States has to make weighty decisions of life and death. Lincoln knew that his decision would involve the immediate deaths of many and had counter balance that it with the issues at stake.

No one can lead alone and he must have the support and trust of his team. Lincoln’s job was always going to be difficult as his cabinet was a “Team of Rivals”. As it turns out he could always count on his biggest rival Seward whom he had appointed Secretary of State and his cabinet supported him in the end.

The leader must engender trust in players that matter. The powerful Blair of the Conservative wing takes his word and under the severest pressure delivers the Republican Conservatives again and again. Grant, who has a very special relationship with Lincoln, clearly disagrees with his decision not to meet the Southern leaders but accepts his judgment.

He exhibited empathy and regarded everyone’s opinions with respect. His discussion with the telegraph boys prior to deciding whether to follow Grant’s advice and let the Southern delegation into Washington or have them delay till he pushed his important legislation through was an object lesson on this attribute.

He was heavily invested in the gravitas of his position. Grant told him he had aged 10 years in one year under the pressure.

Lincoln showed statesmanship as well as leadership. He told Grant this must not end in hangings. He said send the Confederate soldiers back to their homes and farms. Let the rebel leaders escape. There were enough corpses already.

Most of all he showed guts in pursuing his vision.

There is no doubt that America and the world would have been a different place without him.

A MOVIE NOT TO BE MISSED.

All this is exhibited in Spielberg’s Lincoln. Historically sound thanks to Dorothy Kearns Goodwin, translated into a screenplay by Toby Kushner whose tight prose allowed for all this and more to be exhibited. The acting is sure to be rewarded by an Academy award or two. All this resulting in a spellbinding cinematographic narrative by Spielberg. This is entertainment at it’s best as Spielberg keeps one riveted throughout, even though the plot is as well known any Shakespearean play.

Spielberg would be doing the world a favor if he made more movies with a message as his skills guarantee entertainment whatever he creates. Messages are needed in a world that is becoming more and more amoral.