Full Thread: Lincoln
View Single Post
Old May 2nd, 2010 #49
ohgolly
Senior Member
 
ohgolly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Florida CSA
Posts: 1,904
Default

Cairo War Eagle; Lincoln, Abraham. 'Washington, March 4' in 'The Cairo War Eagle, 04 March 1865' . Cairo, IL: Cairo War Eagle, 1865. [format: newspaper], [genre: article; speech]. Permission: Public Domain
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?...03041865c.html
Previous section


Washington, March 4 [1865].

— The procession is now forming, though a heavy rain is falling, and the streets are almost impassable from mud. Pennsylvania Avenue is filled with a dense mass of people. The ceremonies will take place in the Senate Chamber.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

Fellow-countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at first. Then a statement, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued seemed very fitting and proper; now at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, there is little that now could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all with high hope for the future. No prediction in regard to it is ventured on the occasion. Corresponding to this, four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war; and all dreaded it; all sought to avoid it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war; seeking to dissolve the Union and divide the effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and wonderful interest. All know this interest was somehow the cause of the war, to strengthen and perpetuate, and extend interest, was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union by war, while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it, neither party expected for war the magnitude nor the duration which it has already attained, neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease, or soon before the conflict itself could cease; each looked for an easier triumph, and result less fundamental and astounding, both read the same bible and pray to the same God, and invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to take a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces. But let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both should not be answered, that of neither has been answered fully, the Almighty has his own purposes. Woe unto the world, because of offenses, for it must need be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offenses come, if we shall suppose that American slavery is the offense, the providence of God must needs come, but which having continued through His appointed time He now wills to move that He goes to both North and South.

This terrible war is the woe due to those by whom the offense came. Shall we discern there is any departure form these Divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him. Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this might scourge of war may speedily pass away. If God wills that it continue until all the wealth, filled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil, shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said that the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether; with malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work, we are in — to bind up of the nations wounds, and care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphans — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
Previous section