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A lifelong interest in Abraham Lincoln coupled with the study of history, government and politics coupled with experience in news reporting, political campaigns, politics and governmental activities motivated Fred J. Martin, Jr. to write this book. Lincoln’s ethical and moral principles illuminated the path. The son of a weekly newspaper Editor and Publisher, Martin grew up in the world of news and politics. A Great-Great Uncle with a bullet-shattered elbow took leave and campaigned for Lincoln’s Reelection but returned to active duty to merit a brevet major general commission at the age of 32 at Appomattox. Since retirement Martin has devoted the last 20 years to research Lincoln at the Library of Congress, state historical societies, archives and libraries across the nation. A retired bank government relations executive and former journalist, he is a Visiting Scholar at the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental studies. He has an undergraduate degree in History from the University of Denver and completed the Senior Mangers in Government program at Harvard. Martin lives in San Francisco, CA, and his wife still teaches as a substitute in the elementary schools of the city, although she had retired after 34 years. Martin’s interaction with federal regulators as a point person for Bank of America in the mid-80’s gave him understanding and insight into the national banking system. This led him to follow Lincoln’s path as he resurrected the nation from bankruptcy and inequality, as he fostered a national banking system and a currency and developed a governing structure based on sound economic and moral principles. Martin has worked extensively with government at all levels, giving him insight into Lincoln’s path from grass roots politician to national statesman. Martin drew on his experience as an investigative reporter, a capital correspondent, Washington representative for Bank of America, working with regulators, Congress and federal officials. What became evident in his research was the supreme ability of Lincoln as a writer and a communicator. Martin accompanied his father at Montana Press Association meetings. Even today he writes periodically for the San Francisco Chronicle. Martin’s experience gave him a point from which to take a look at the Press Lords of Lincoln’s day and the way Lincoln so successfully dealt with them. Members of congress, as they did on Lincoln, make demands, as Martin learned working in State Capitals and in Washington. Martin’s experience gave him a basis for understanding Lincoln’s artful political skills. In Washington Martin experienced the need to cultivate members of Congress without giving way to immoral and illegal demand of some members. Martin made the words of Lincoln, his opponents and his allies the superstructure of this book.
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