Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second InauguralAs the day for Lincoln's second inauguration drew near, Americans wondered what their sixteenth president would say about the Civil War. Would Lincoln guide the nation toward "Reconstruction"? What about the slaves? They had been emancipated, but what about the matter of suffrage? When Lincoln finally stood before his fellow countrymen on March 4, 1865, and had only 703 words to share, the American public was stunned. The President had not offered the North a victory speech, nor did he excoriate the South for the sin of slavery. Instead, he called the whole country guilty of the sin and pleaded for reconciliation and unity. In this compelling account, noted historian Ronald C. White Jr. shows how Lincoln's speech was initially greeted with confusion and hostility by many in the Union; commended by the legions of African Americans in attendance, abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass among them; and ultimately appropriated by his assassin John Wilkes Booth forty-one days later. Filled with all the facts and factors surrounding the Second Inaugural, "Lincoln's Greatest Speech" is both an important historical document and a thoughtful analysis of Lincoln's moral and rhetorical genius. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 30
Page 50
... meaning . Even when we refer to Lincoln's prun- ing down his earlier , more bombastic speech to the plainer style of Gettysburg or the Second Inaugural , " plain " is not meant to connote simple . Lincoln was chided early on in his ...
... meaning . Even when we refer to Lincoln's prun- ing down his earlier , more bombastic speech to the plainer style of Gettysburg or the Second Inaugural , " plain " is not meant to connote simple . Lincoln was chided early on in his ...
Page 102
... meaning . Lincoln was acknowledging the universal use of the Bible and prayer by soldiers through- out the war . Before we attempt to understand still other lay- ers of meaning , we will pause to appreciate the use of the Bible that ...
... meaning . Lincoln was acknowledging the universal use of the Bible and prayer by soldiers through- out the war . Before we attempt to understand still other lay- ers of meaning , we will pause to appreciate the use of the Bible that ...
Page 193
... meaning of any kind , at least , if any meaning lurks in it we fail to perceive it . " 25 The Second Inaugural occurred just at the moment when Grant was besieging Petersburg , Virginia , on his way toward Richmond . The Daily Express ...
... meaning of any kind , at least , if any meaning lurks in it we fail to perceive it . " 25 The Second Inaugural occurred just at the moment when Grant was besieging Petersburg , Virginia , on his way toward Richmond . The Daily Express ...
Contents
Inauguration Day | 21 |
At this second appearing | 43 |
And the war came | 60 |
Copyright | |
16 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abolitionists Abraham Lincoln American Bible Society asked audience battle became believe Capitol century charity Charles Charles Hodge Chicago Christian Civil coln coln's Confederate Constitution crowd Daily death dissole divine dome dress editor emancipation Emancipation Proclamation final paragraph Fort Pillow four Frederick Douglass Gettysburg Gettysburg Address God's gural Gurley Herndon Hodge Ibid Illinois Inau inauguration day Jackson James jeremiad John judgment knew language letter Lincoln began Lincoln's First Inaugural Lincoln's Second Inaugural Lincoln's words malice March ment nation newspapers Noah Brooks North offence offered party Phineas political prayer Presbyterian Presbyterian Church president presidential Princeton printed purpose re-elected reported Republican rhetoric School Presbyterian Second Inau Second Inaugural Address Seldon Connor Senate sentence sermon Seward slavery slaves South Southern speak speech Springfield Stowe Testament theological third paragraph thousand tion troops University Press Washington White House Whitman William wrote York Avenue York Herald