I love this anecdote so much! It was his first address in the Senate as president. He was a poor man’s
son, his father was a shoemaker – in India he would have been an untouchable. Even in America people were very annoyed, irritated, angry that a shoemaker’s son had become the president; the aristocrats, the rich, the super-rich naturally were angry. There was great tension on the first day when he addressed them. As he stood up, one aristocrat also stood up and said, “Mr President, before you start speaking, I would like you to remember that your father used to make shoes for
my family. Right now I am using the shoes made by your father, so don’t forget that. Just becoming president does not mean anything. Don’t forget that you are a shoemaker’s son.”
son, his father was a shoemaker – in India he would have been an untouchable. Even in America people were very annoyed, irritated, angry that a shoemaker’s son had become the president; the aristocrats, the rich, the super-rich naturally were angry. There was great tension on the first day when he addressed them. As he stood up, one aristocrat also stood up and said, “Mr President, before you start speaking, I would like you to remember that your father used to make shoes for
my family. Right now I am using the shoes made by your father, so don’t forget that. Just becoming president does not mean anything. Don’t forget that you are a shoemaker’s son.”
There was absolute silence, pin-drop silence. Everybody felt that Abraham Lincoln would feel embarrassed, but instead of feeling embarrassed, he made the whole Senate feel embarrassed.He said, “It is good, I am immensely thankful to you that you reminded me about my father” — and tears came to his eyes. And he said, “How can I forget him? I know that he was a perfect shoemaker and I can never be that perfect a president. I cannot defeat the old man. It is a question of perfection. I know my father and I want to ask you, do you have any complaint against my father's shoes ? Then I can come and repair them, because I have learned from my father the art of making shoes."
“You are still wearing shoes he has made — many of you must be wearing them. If they do not fit you,
if they are pinching, if you are feeling uncomfortable, don’t be worried. Although my father is dead, he made me learn the art enough to mend your shoes. I cannot replace him; he was a perfect master. I am just an amateur, but I can mend your shoes and I will always remember to try at least to become as good a president as he was a shoemaker. I cannot hope to be better than him — that is
impossible, because I know him.”
if they are pinching, if you are feeling uncomfortable, don’t be worried. Although my father is dead, he made me learn the art enough to mend your shoes. I cannot replace him; he was a perfect master. I am just an amateur, but I can mend your shoes and I will always remember to try at least to become as good a president as he was a shoemaker. I cannot hope to be better than him — that is
impossible, because I know him.”
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