Today I delivered my second Inaugural Address. Although it was but brief, I spoke with a heavy heart what I believe to be the true nature of the War, and of the future. After all these years, and after experiencing so much, I have come to conclude the cause of this Civil War...God willed it. There is simply no other reason. I realize though, that this concept is hard for many Americans to accept, and I therefore had to carefully craft it in my speech. As a result, I suggested that the blame must lie with
all Americans, both North and South. The war is a divine judgement for all of our sins regarding slavery, and it is a price that we must pay. The Almighty has His own purposes. It is our responsibility though, to strive on to finish the work we are in. The American people must know that we will endure as long as we can endure, and that we will not lose our faith in God or hope in this nation. That is now the only way the Union will survive...united not only in geography, but also in heart.
A. Lincoln
This entry is based off of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address given on March 4, 1865. Additional information and interpretation come from secondary sources by Michael Burlingame, and David H. Donald. Selections from their works and further reading can be found at the Lincoln's Writing website (http://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/second-inaugural-address-march-4-1865/)
ReplyDelete