The Best of Washington DC and Abraham Lincoln Trivia

A BOLITIONIST Anna Dickinson, from Philadelphia, made a name for herself as a speaker and was so highly regarded she was sought by the Republican Party officers in four States to address political rallies. While happy to do so, her underlining interest was emancipation. On January 16, 1864 she became the first woman to address Congress. She both praised and denounced, but showed greater emotion regarding President Lincoln’s recently announced reconstruction program, which aided former slaveholders but left out the freedmen. Dickinson continued to speak with gusto when Lincoln entered the House of Representatives and he reportedly sat with his head bowed and did not reply to her attacks. Despite her admonition she urged that Lincoln be re-elected because he was the best person to complete the job of finishing the Civil War and resuming normality. Dickinson, who regarded Lincoln’s apparel as odious, had further meetings with the President but they could not reconcile their differences regarding reconstruction.