Lincoln's Consular Service

Stroke, of fate. The fate of you who are listening, of nations, of the world is often hung upon accident, or upon decisions that made another way would have substantially altered the course of human events.

Supposed by a stroke of fate, the battleship main had not been blown up in Havana, Harvard. Supposed fate had decreed that Hitler had been killed in the Munich Beer Hall putch. Yes, much depends on a stroke of faith.

And tonight we rewrite history as we present our conception of what might have happened. If by a stroke of fate Abraham Lincoln had secured the job he wanted in 1841. A position in our consular service in South America.

It is an historical fact that after Lincoln had a quarrel with his fiancé Mary Todd, they broke their engagement. He tried to secure a position in the United States' Consular Service in South America. He actually failed.

Tonight, he succeeds. This is our stroke of fate that changes history. Up to that point, our story is historically true. The rest will be speculation. Now to tell you our story, we bring out of the past Lincoln's close friend, Joshua F. Speed.

Abe Lincoln came to Springfield, Illinois in 1837 When he was 28 years old, your eyes penniless began to make a living as a lawyer, and later in 1839 he met Mary Todd of Kentucky, a girl from a rich family.

They became engaged, but Lincoln had many doubts about his marriage being successful. And on January 1, 1841, we went to see Mary at the home of her sister, where Mary was staying. Mr. Lincoln, what you say is surprising and painful.