Forget everything you think you know about Lincoln aka "Honest Abe".  He crafted his persona on the campaign trial and developed the honest hard working simple guy image with propaganda.  Lincoln understood the importance of image.  He was the most professionally photographed politician of his day because he wanted to control the images that were going around. Lincoln was a well off railroad lawyer.  He did, occasionally, take on pro bono work, but he worked for the richest companies in the US at the time the railroads.  Lincoln was also the president to usher in the era of a constantly growing federal government.