There has been a vibrant discussion about both the North and the South's "lies" that were told to build up each sides reputation after the War. I would like to continue that discussion.
Abraham Lincoln had two assistants that played a crucial role in shaping his legacy after the War. John Hay and John Nicolay heavily pushed the narrative that slavery was the main cause of the War to help bolster Lincoln's legacy.
Here is an interesting book review on two books that discuss Hay and Nicolay. One particularly interesting quote is below
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He (Zeitz) does note, without comment, frequent criticism of the authors’ bias against southerners and Democrats, and he does define Nicolay and Hay’s work as an “unofficial Northern, Republican Party interpretation of the Civil War. On this score Zeitz cannot be challenged, but some parts of his book raise questions about his own bias. ”
Review Essay: Getting Right with Lincoln versus Getting Lincoln Right
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Do people know that Hay and Nicolay's work is simply a Republican Party narrative of the War? Are their works a type of Lost Cause literature from the North to promote "slavery as the cause" to vault the status of Lincoln and the Union North Republican position in the War?
Abraham Lincoln had two assistants that played a crucial role in shaping his legacy after the War. John Hay and John Nicolay heavily pushed the narrative that slavery was the main cause of the War to help bolster Lincoln's legacy.
Here is an interesting book review on two books that discuss Hay and Nicolay. One particularly interesting quote is below
--------------------
He (Zeitz) does note, without comment, frequent criticism of the authors’ bias against southerners and Democrats, and he does define Nicolay and Hay’s work as an “unofficial Northern, Republican Party interpretation of the Civil War. On this score Zeitz cannot be challenged, but some parts of his book raise questions about his own bias. ”
Review Essay: Getting Right with Lincoln versus Getting Lincoln Right
----------------------
Do people know that Hay and Nicolay's work is simply a Republican Party narrative of the War? Are their works a type of Lost Cause literature from the North to promote "slavery as the cause" to vault the status of Lincoln and the Union North Republican position in the War?