“If it’s a forgery—show us the forgery”

 Lincoln’s Challenge Echoes Today

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas debate
 Charleston, Illinois, September 18, 1858,
(1918 - oil on canvas - by Robert Marshall Root)

Introduction: Echoes from Charleston

In September 1858, Abraham Lincoln stood on a debate stage in Charleston, Illinois and delivered a masterclass in accountability. Challenged by Stephen Douglas’s sweeping accusation that Senator Trumbull’s evidence was a forgery, Lincoln didn’t flinch. He didn’t deflect. He defined.

“If you will point out which one is a forgery, I will carefully examine it… but until he does it specifically, we don't know how to get at him.”

More than a century and a half later, that demand still holds weight.

The Modern Echo: Accusation Without Specifics

Recently, a prominent administrator faced backlash for distancing himself from a controversial letter and attached drawings. His defense? They weren’t authentic. Possibly fabricated. Maybe even forged. But while the denial was loud, the details were silent.

No specific page was cited. No signature disavowed. No formal refutation of authorship. Just the fog of implication.

And here, Lincoln’s words cut through.

What Is a Forgery? Lincoln’s Definition Still Stands

Lincoln’s own explanation was clear and legal:

“If you come forward with my note for one hundred dollars when I have never given such a note, there is a forgery. If you come forward with a letter purporting to be written by me which I never wrote, there is another forgery…”

The standard is straightforward. If a document is not genuine and is presented as if it were, then name it. Prove it. Otherwise, it’s just smoke.

Conclusion: History Doesn’t Forget Its Lessons

The Charleston debate reminds us that real scrutiny requires precision. Accusations without specifics are not rebuttals. They’re evasions.

So we return to Lincoln’s challenge:

“If you will point out which one is a forgery…”

Until then, the question remains not about the document—but about the integrity of the denial.

This was another anecdote about Abe Lincoln, Storyteller.

Mac

Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln
Charleston Debate Statues
Lincoln and Douglas Debate Museum
Charleston, IL

Works Cited

[1] Lincoln, Abraham. Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Edited by Roy P. Basler et al., vol. 3, University of Michigan Digital Library, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/lincoln3.. Accessed 19 July 2025.