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 19
Page 1
... election to the Illinois legislature from Sangamon County, where he had made his home in the little town of New Salem since 1831. He moved to Springfield, then a city of about 2,000 inhabitants, to join the law offices of John Todd ...
... election to the Illinois legislature from Sangamon County, where he had made his home in the little town of New Salem since 1831. He moved to Springfield, then a city of about 2,000 inhabitants, to join the law offices of John Todd ...
Page 9
... election year. Lincoln fought hard that year for the Whig candidate, General Zachary Taylor, who was running against the Democrats' Lewis Cass of Michigan. Showing his mastery of political sarcasm, Lincoln ridiculed the Democratic ...
... election year. Lincoln fought hard that year for the Whig candidate, General Zachary Taylor, who was running against the Democrats' Lewis Cass of Michigan. Showing his mastery of political sarcasm, Lincoln ridiculed the Democratic ...
Page 11
... election, a bankrupt law is to be established. Can they tell us General Cass's opinion on this question? Some member answered, “He is against it.” Aye, how do you know he is? There is nothing about it in the platform, nor elsewhere ...
... election, a bankrupt law is to be established. Can they tell us General Cass's opinion on this question? Some member answered, “He is against it.” Aye, how do you know he is? There is nothing about it in the platform, nor elsewhere ...
Page 12
... elections, and his party fully committed to them; but that one is new, and a large portion of them are againstit. But ... election, still another is introduced in the same way. If we run our eyes along the line of the past, we. 12 Abraham ...
... elections, and his party fully committed to them; but that one is new, and a large portion of them are againstit. But ... election, still another is introduced in the same way. If we run our eyes along the line of the past, we. 12 Abraham ...
Page 13
... election alone can defeat General Cass; and because, should slavery thereby go into the territory we now have, just so much will certainly happen by the election of Cass; and, in addition, a course of policy leading to new wars, new ...
... election alone can defeat General Cass; and because, should slavery thereby go into the territory we now have, just so much will certainly happen by the election of Cass; and, in addition, a course of policy leading to new wars, new ...
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 |
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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