Valentine's Day - Debunked

Sunday February 20 2005

There are a host of legends describing the origin of Valentine’s Day dating back to ancient Rome. Though theses stories are interesting to read and appeal to our softer instincts they are totally untrue. In fact, Valentines Day was created accidentally by Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln was not gay. In spite of the fact that he occasionally slept with men, he was as heterosexual as they come. There was a young intern, Veronica Valentine, who caught the President’s eye and she was smitten for him too. He pulled some strings and managed to get her assigned to the White House.

Valentine took every opportunity to meet with the President and he delighted in her company as well. Before long, the two were secretly meeting after hours in the oval office. Lincoln refused to have sexual relations with her despite her endless pleading. He was a devoted family man and would not be unfaithful to Mary Todd.

Miss Valentine would not relent in her pursuit of Lincoln. She sent him love letters and begged for his companionship. It is rumored that on no less than two occasions, he did allow her to gratify him but only after he grew weary of her endless beseeching. After one such occasion Lincoln, obviously swept up in the passion of the moment, reciprocated by gratifying Miss Valentine with a Cuban cigar which had been left in The Oval Office by President Franklin Pierce. The date: February 14, 1865.

There was a secretary who had worked with Miss Valentine at the War Department whose name is now lost to history. Valentine would confide in her about the secret trysts with the President. Unbeknownst to Veronica Valentine, the secretary was also smitten for President Lincoln but was a homely gal stricken with a horrible birthmark. Lincoln would pay her no mind.
When Valentine told the tale of an encounter that had spoiled her dress, the secretary became very jealous of the beautiful Valentine. She convinced Veronica to give her the dress that she might remove the stain but her intentions were not so admirable. The covetous secretary told the tale to the press and surrendered the spoiled dress as proof.

The press ruthlessly reported the story and soon Lincoln found himself mired in the scandal of his lifetime. At first he claimed no association with the young intern but the press was merciless. Finally, he came before the American people and admitted his indiscretions. He was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth the next day. History may one day reveal the fact that Booth had been a suitor for the young Miss Valentine before she fell in love with the President.

Veronica Valentine disappeared into obscurity but her letters to President Lincoln were regarded as some of the most quixotic writings of the time. The Valentine letters were eventually released to the public in their entirety and February 14th became known as Valentine's Day.

Copyright © 2005 Quaid Davis. All rights reserved.