ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN COURT AND CAMPAIGN
WARREN BULL
Publication Date: January 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
AUGUST DIETRICH, who reports for the abolitionist Penn Statesman and THADDEUS CHURCH who reports for the slavery-friendly Richmond Enquirer both arrive in Springfield, Illinois to cover the re-election campaign of STEVEN A. DOUGLAS. They listen to a speech by his opponent in which the says, “A house divided cannot not stand.” Non-entity ABRAHAM LINCOLN from the new Republican Party challenges the incumbent to a series of debates. The differences between the men reflects the widening gap between citizens who support slavery within the new territories and states and those who oppose it. Blood has already been spilled and the possibility of a civil war hangs over the country.
After each man shows up separately at Lincoln’s office to question him, the candidate talks to both of them together. They travel together to the next speech. They discuss slavery and although neither man changes the other man’s opinion, they come to respect each other’s sincerity. They share an interest Abraham Lincoln despite the difficulty he faces against the odds-on favorite to become the Democratic nominee for President in two years.
They hear rumors about a trial in which Lincoln may have suborned perjury and falsified evidence to save his oldest friend’s son from hanging. Together they travel to each debate and track down participants in the trial hoping to find the truth and hoping to find a way that pro and anti slavery Americans can coexist in peace.
After considerable time and effort they arrive at a conclusion about the trial that reveals a glimpse into the heart and soul of Abraham Lincoln. They visit Lincoln one more time after his defeat and offer him the consolation that despite his loss, he has become one of the national leaders of people opposed to the expansion of slavery.
About the Author
Warren Bull is the award-winning author of the novels ABRAHAM LINCOLN FOR THE DEFENSE, HEARTLAND and DEATH IN THE MOONLIGHT and the short story collections MURDER MANHATTAN STYLE, KILLER EULOGY AND OTHER STORIES and NO HAPPY ENDINGS. He is a life-time professional member of Sisters in Crime (with no hope of parole) and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, He has published in STRANGE MYSTERIES anthologies (1 through 7) from Whorlteberry Press, BLACK COFFEE, DESTINATION MURDER and WE’VE BEEN TRUMPED anthologies for Dark House Books, Great Mystery and Suspense magazine, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, Crimeandsuspence.com, Mouth Full of Bullets, The Back Alley, Sniplits.com Untreed Reads, Mysterical-E and a number of anthologies from Dark House Press. He was a psychologist in his “day job” for thirty years. Warren is a fierce competitor at trivia games. He claims he comes from a functional family.
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