The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln, by Stephen L. Carter

Stephen Carter has distinguished himself as a leading legal scholar in the U.S., having taught for 3 decades at Yale Law School and publishing such discussion-shaping books as The Culture of Disbelief and God's Name in Vain.  In his spare time, he's become a pretty terrific novelist to boot.  The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln, Carter's fifth novel, takes the reader down an interesting path of "what if. . . " at a crucial period of our nation's history.

In the alternative history of Carter's Impeachment, President Lincoln survived Booth's assassination attempt at the Ford Theater.  He won the fight for his life, but faces another fight, against political enemies who seek his impeachment.  Central to his defense is one of his lawyer's new law clerk, Abigail, an African-American woman fresh out of Oberlin College.

As he does in most of his novels, Carter presents a side of African-American life that is frequently neglected in literature, that of the middle- and upper-class blacks.  Abigail's family was solidly middle class; they were a part of Washington, D.C.'s community of African-American professional and established free families.  In one amusing scene, some white society ladies at a social event question her about her adventures, and encourage her to write a book.  Abigail says she has nothing to write about.  "Nonsense," they say, she should write about her escape, her experiences on the Underground Railroad, etc.  Abigail doesn't know what to think of them, and explains that her family has been free for three generations.  A gentlemen rescues her from the circle of ladies, explaining that "they know nothing of free black people.  They are committed Abolitionists because they hate slavery and they want to do good, but they have no particular interest in people of your race.  Like so many people of liberal persuasion, they value their own progressive opinions more than they value the people they hold those opinions about."  I love that.  The same description could doubtless apply to civil rights activists and liberals throughout the last century.

Abigail's experiences demonstrate the ongoing difficulties blacks faced in the post-Civil War era.  Yes, the war was over, but even in the North the notion that blacks were equal and deserved equal protection and equal treatment under the law was a long way from being recognized.  And certainly the social barriers were tremendous.  Carter captures the social and political life of 19th century Washington City colorfully, with many of the characters and places taken from the pages of history.

In spite of what you might think, Carter doesn't make a bold political statement with his rewriting of history.  The discussion of whether Lincoln's actions during the war is interesting, but takes a minor role in the novel.  More important is the conspiracy against him and Abigail's efforts to get to the bottom of it.  Carter weaves the story and history together well, with political intrigue, plot twists, and an entertaining story that might have been true.