Great SpeechesFor someone who claimed he had been educated by "littles" — a little now and a little then — Abraham Lincoln displayed a remarkable facility in his use of the written word. The simple yet memorable eloquence of his speeches, proclamations and personal correspondence is recorded here in a representative collection of 16 documents. This volume contains, complete and unabridged, the Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois (1838), which emphasized a theme Lincoln was to return to repeatedly, namely, the capacity of a people to govern themselves; the "House Divided" speech at the Republican State Convention in Illinois (1858); the First Inaugural Address (1861), in which he appealed to the people of an already divided union for sectional harmony; the Gettysburg Address (1863), a speech delivered at ceremonies dedicating a part of the Gettysburg battlefield as a cemetery; the Letter to Mrs. Bixby (1864), expressing Lincoln's regrets over the wartime deaths of her five sons; the Second Inaugural Address (March 1865), urging a post-war nation to "bind up its wounds" and show "charity for all"; and his Last Public Address (April 11, 1865). New notes place the speeches and other documents in their respective historical contexts. An invaluable reference for history students, this important volume will also fascinate admirers of Abraham Lincoln, Americana enthusiasts, Civil War buffs and any lover of the finely crafted phrase. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 17
Page
... attempts to represent important speeches from many phases of Lincoln's career, offering a broad general picture of his accomplishments. The 1838 speech, delivered less than a year after Lincoln moved from New Salem to Springfield, was ...
... attempts to represent important speeches from many phases of Lincoln's career, offering a broad general picture of his accomplishments. The 1838 speech, delivered less than a year after Lincoln moved from New Salem to Springfield, was ...
Page 5
... attempt, to subvert our national freedom. When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may notarise, for the redress of which, no legal ...
... attempt, to subvert our national freedom. When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may notarise, for the redress of which, no legal ...
Page 11
... any or all, I will not hinder you; if you do not desire them, I will not attempt to force them on you.” “Send up your members of Congress from the various districts, with opinions according to your own, Great Speeches | 1.
... any or all, I will not hinder you; if you do not desire them, I will not attempt to force them on you.” “Send up your members of Congress from the various districts, with opinions according to your own, Great Speeches | 1.
Page 12
... attempt to dragoon them into their adoption.” Now, can there be any difficulty in understanding this? To you, Democrats, it may not seem like principle; but surely you cannot fail to perceive the position plainly enough. The distinction ...
... attempt to dragoon them into their adoption.” Now, can there be any difficulty in understanding this? To you, Democrats, it may not seem like principle; but surely you cannot fail to perceive the position plainly enough. The distinction ...
Page 17
... attempting to write me into a military hero. While I have General Cass in hand, I wish to say a word about his political principles. As a specimen, I take the record of his progress on the Wilmot proviso. In the Washington Union, of ...
... attempting to write me into a military hero. While I have General Cass in hand, I wish to say a word about his political principles. As a specimen, I take the record of his progress on the Wilmot proviso. In the Washington Union, of ...
Contents
24 | |
Farewell Address at Springfield Illinois | 52 |
Message to Congress in Special Session | 62 |
Proclamation of a National FastDay | 76 |
Final Emancipation Proclamation | 98 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adopted already amendment attempt authority Available believe better called candidate Cass cause citizens civil Congress consider Constitution continue Court decision Democrats dividing doubt Douglas election emancipation Executive existence expect expressed fact fathers favor federal force foreign framed friends give Government hand hope House Illinois improvements increase institutions interest issue labor land leave less Lincoln live Louisiana maintain majority means Michigan military never object opinion original party passed peace persons POEMs political position possible practical present President principle Proclamation prohibition proper provision question reason received Republican respect Senator slavery slaves South speak speech STORIES territory things thousand tion true understanding Union United violated voted Washington whole wrong