Booth's parents were British, Maryland is Southern by geography not primarily culture.

" Two independent investigations in Jan. '61 both concluded there were active plots underway to kill the president-elect as he approached Washington."

Yes, but were they true? Was there really any plots? Who were the plotters? There were rumors of plots, I know, but I agree with contemporary writings of the doubt of these plots of being true and the fear unnecessary.

"No American president had been assassinated, but the idea was hardly novel. Lincoln, like thousands of other Americans in the nineteenth century could recite Shakespeare on command, they were quite familiar with the idea."

See my response to Craig and security. Lincoln had to hire a private firm, no government agency existed in 1861 to guard the president specifically. So there had not been any threats or attempts (except Jackson's) on a sitting president to require it.

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David Upton