
Better than a Gallon of Gall: Abe Lincoln addresses a temperance society (1842) - pepys
http://laphamsquarterly.org/intoxication/better-gallon-gall
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losteverything
Help me better understand how any one in the past can have their exact words
known. I am sure I am not the only doubter that thinks this way. In this case
just how does one know these are the words Lincoln said.

Washington Adams Witherspoon anyone

Any reading that agrees with me?

~~~
Iv
Speeches were written beforehand, texts are stored in archive. This is a
proven tech.

Alternatively, it was (and in justice courts, still is) to have people write
down everything that was said. There are several techniques to write fast
enough to catch every word of a fast speaker. It is called stenography, or
shorthand. An almost lost skill nowadays.

~~~
GFischer
Very much alive and kicking.

The local government here in Uruguay periodically makes calls for applications
for Stenographers to work in the judiciary, at a locally very enticing wage,
so lots of people train in shorthand, and you see ads on the street
advertising shorthand training.

~~~
Iv
Heh, thanks for reminding me to kick my eurocentrism out of the way :-)

Yes, judiciary is still a user of that, and depending on the country they may
not be allowed to use recorders. But before the time of cheap and light
recorders, almost all secretaries in private companies used to learn steno to
be able to take dictation at a natural speed. It was much more widespread at
the time.

