[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 159 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         LINCOLN'S DEBT LETTER

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                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2009

  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, history has a tendency to repeat 
itself, and those clever enough to comprehend that fact learn from 
mistakes the first time they occur and avoid them there after. In 1848, 
Abraham Lincoln received a request from his step-brother, John D. 
Johnston, for $80. What seems to be a relatively small amount of money 
in current times proved to be an immense amount in the 1800s, roughly 
equating to $1800 in current U.S. dollars. Having been fooled into 
giving Johnston money before Lincoln refused to play the role of a 
charity because his step-brother proved to be a lazy and idle man. 
Rather than spend the money he once received from Lincoln wisely on his 
family farm, he wasted it frivolously. Bailing his own family out was 
not a practice Lincoln took part in because those who asked for money 
were not deserving of it. Lincoln suggested that his idle step-brother 
spend his time working for his pay, which would alleviate all his debt 
and his labor would produce a reward. His step-brother refused to work 
for his money and wanted it to be handed to him, which seems very 
familiar in today's society.
   History does indeed repeat itself and it appears that the requests 
of people like John D. Johnston are becoming more frequent, and rather 
than asking one's own family, they feel that the government is 
obligated to pay. It is evident that Lincoln did not favor a welfare 
system or bail-out plan, where the government handed over money to 
people and made it appear like it was their job to do so. It would be 
wise for today's politicians to learn from history and take a page out 
of Lincoln's book because handing money to people who do not work for 
it is only promoting an endless cycle of indolence, like that of John 
D. Johnston.

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