In an interesting article on the history of "photoshopping," the New York Times says that one of the classic photos of Abraham Lincoln is actually the great emancipator's head grafted onto the body of John C. Calhoun! Calhoun, of course, was the great proponent of slavery calling it not a necessary evil but a "positive good."
The article doesn't say, but surely the compositor was sending a message with his ironic deception.
FYI, this caught my eye because the first article that Tyler and I ever co-authored was on Calhoun's constitutional theory. No link, but here's the reference: Tabarrok, A., and T. Cowen. 1992. The Public Choice Theory of John C. Calhoun. Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics 148 (4):655-74.
I’d be very interested in reading the article. How do I get a copy if I don’t have access to the mentioned journal?
Maybe the compositor was saying that Lincoln freed the slaves while enslaving free men.
Did you support Calhoun position on slavery?
HC
What does the word “great” mean in this context? I am reminded of NYT editorials describing this or that legislator as “one of the great liberal lions of the Senate”, etc., and it always seemed like they’d be reluctant to so label someone who didn’t have the right politics. On the other hand, there is the Sorting Hat, which tells Harry that Salazar Slytherin did “great” things, clearly meaning “awe-inspiring” rather than “admirable”.
Too much musing.
Ummmm. So Lincoln was anti-slavery? Really?
Maybe you oughta look that one up.
thank you! I like this news, I also have information to share, here is my message.,mn,
Comments on this entry are closed.