Description
From the library of Lincoln’s private secretary, John G. Nicolay and Pulitzer Prize winning author, David H. Donald, a first edition of the Life of Alexander H. Stephens by Richard Malcolm Johnston and William Hand Browne.
Octavo, 619pp. Brown cloth, title in gilt, decorative gilt bands on spine and cover. Frontispiece portrait of Stephens and his residence. Cloth is worn at edges, fraying at top edge of spine. (Nevins II, p 68) Book is signed by John G. Nicolay and dated “March 23, 1882” on front endpaper. Additionally signed by Lincoln biographer, historian and Pulitzer Prize winning author, David H. Donald, in blue pen on front free endpaper. Provenance: Estate sale of David and Aida Donald, July, 2019.
This book was used as a reference by historian David Donald in researching his award winning biography of Abraham Lincoln, titled simply Lincoln (1995). Donald makes multiple references to the relationship between Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens and Lincoln, with the author making notes in this work, which correspond to direct quotes in the final book. The subject of this book, Alexander H. Stephens, was an old friend of President Abraham Lincoln and one whom Lincoln expected to support the Union effort. He would serve as the Vice President of the Confederate States and 50th Governor of Georgia. He is best remembered for his “Cornerstone Speech,” in which he outlined the Confederate rational for succession and argued that “the Negro is not equal to the white man.” He distanced himself from this argument in later life.
