LAD #19- Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural

FDR's fourth inaugural speech relates to Lincoln's 2nd because both presidencies are taking place on the finishing ends of a war.



Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Summary- Seeing that this was his second inaugural address, there wasn't nearly the same need for it to be long and drawn out rather just a statement with details on the course he plans to pursue throughout his presidency. He then mentions the civil war saying that it has absorbed the attention and energy of our nation. The progress of the the nations arms is well known and there is high hope for the future. In his first inaugural address, all of the thoughts were directed towards the impending civil war. Everyone was dreading it and they all wanted to avert it as well. There were people who were devoted to saving the Union without war,as well as people seeking to dissolve it without war. War came anyway as neither side wanted to give up their argument. One-eighth of the entire population were slaves, localized in the southern part of the country. These slaves had a powerful interest that was largely the cause of war. Neither party expected the war to have the magnitude or duration it ended up having. And no one anticipated the fact that the cause of the conflict might cease before the conflict. He then relates the Civil War to a quote from the bible. Saying that God has given us a war because of the offense of slavery. God has malice towards none, and charity for all. He wants us to finish the work we are in, to bid up the nation's wounds, to care for the people who took part in the war and for his widow and his orphan. And finally to achieve and cherish a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.