Lincoln’s first inaugural address was lengthy. He still hoped war could be prevented. He reminded the South that he was no threat to their “institutions” and that his sole objective with regard to slavery was its containment in those states in which it currently existed. He went on to say that he intended to hold all federal property in any state, thus refusing to attach any legitimacy to the Confederate States of America. Then, he closed by reminding all that we are one nation, with common bonds of affection and loyalty, and that we should not break those bonds. He appeals to calmer heads, but by this point the south South is not listening.

Lincoln immediately tamps down any notion that this speech will be a victory lap. There is nothing to celebrate. The mood he conveys is intentionally somber.

Lincoln knows he has to say something about “the progress of our arms,” but he then says almost nothing. He does not call attention to himself. He does not try to rally the country for the final push. He has something else to discuss.

At the time of the first inaugural, the South had hoped that the northern states would simply let them go. The North had hoped the southern states would return to the fold.

Lincoln makes clear that the South lit the fuse and started the war. Lincoln had made clear in his first inaugural address that he was willing to tread softly in the southern states, except with regard to federal property. He had hoped to bring the southern states back into the fold by toning down any rhetoric and reaching out. But the southern states wouldn’t hear and shortly thereafter fired on Fort Sumpter.

The first sentence is simply stating a fact. Slavery exists only in the South, but for the South, the institution of slavery dominates its very being.

The war is about nothing but slavery. Without saying it directly, Lincoln dismisses the new rationale of states’ rights, which he knows means nothing more than states’ rights to have slaves. Lincoln also reminds the country that he never demanded abolition; he had been willing to settle for keeping slavery out of the territories. But, this was not enough for the slave states; they insisted that slavery be extended into the territories and thus effectively nationalized.

At the beginning, both sides thought that any conflict would be short in duration. Lincoln called originally for ninety-day enlistments to quickly “put down the rebellion.” The South thought it could quickly repulse northern “invaders” and that the North would have no stomach for a protracted struggle. Each side underestimated the determination of the other. Few considered that the war would result in the eradication of slavery. But, the protracted struggle set up the end of slavery as it resulted in Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863.

In a few short lines, Lincoln first reminds us all of our common heritage; he then alludes to the gross injustice of slavery, but then reminds the self-righteous to be careful in their judgments, because their hands might not be as clean as they would like to believe.

Lincoln is forgiving and non-judgmental himself, but he reminds the guilty that they are nevertheless responsible for their choices and that they have to answer to a higher authority.

While it may be true that the South lit the fuse and started the war, we are all, both North and South, responsible for slavery. It was imbedded in the Constitution; we all enjoyed inexpensive materials made possible by slavery, and many in the North were as deeply racist as many in the South. For this complicity, God has visited the war on all. This was the larger truth Lincoln insisted on telling. He knew that insisting on this truth would not be popular, but he also knew there was no true putting the country together again until it had been acknowledged and accepted.

This is a rare glimpse of an angry Lincoln. Hundreds of thousands of young men are dead, maimed, and wounded because of a cause evil to its core. One can sense Lincoln almost hopes that illicit wealth is destroyed both as our collective due for the institution of slavery and as retribution for those who have been forced to die in order to finally end it.

This is both the most famous and the most misunderstood portion of the speech. Lincoln is not simply saying, let bygones be bygones and let’s all be friends. Having earlier told the truth which he believed needed to be told, Lincoln can now set the stage for reconciliation. But, he knows that true reconciliation can come only after the South has come to grips with its responsibility for starting the war and the North has come to grips with its complicity in the industry of slavery.

Note that he does not talk of caring only for Union men who have borne the battle. He is actually talking about caring for Confederate soldiers, their widows and orphans, as well. Finally, note that after looking inward for the last twenty years focused on the political and physical conflict over slavery, he ends with a suggestion that we can finally begin to again look outward when he talks about peace with all nations. Just 40 days later he is assassinated.

Why does the exhibit begin with a bust of Thomas Jefferson?

Why is the exhibit entitled, “The American Ideal”?

The quote from Jefferson Davis under clause #4 says that he tried for 12 years to prevent war. Did he?

How many times does Lincoln use the word “I”.

Both Lincoln and Jefferson Davis use the passive language “and the war came.” Why do they do so? Do they do so for the same reason or for different reasons?