Lincoln's Inaugurals, Addresses and Letters Part 11

This address is in marked contrast, both in length and character, to President Lincoln's first official communication. Some of the main thoughts and two of the Biblical quotations occur in a letter written May 30, 1864.

_Let us judge not, that we be not judged_. Adapted from Matthew vii. 1.

"_Woe unto the world_." Matthew xviii. 7.

_Fondly do we hope_. The accidental rhyme in this pa.s.sage is the only blemish that has been objected to in the address, and it is not serious.

"_The judgments of the Lord_." Psalms xix. 9. The opening words of the last paragraph are the best expression ever given of the spirit of Lincoln, who on another occasion said, "I have never willingly planted a thorn in any man's bosom."

THE LAST SPEECH.

This address, the longest of the presidential period with the exception of the First Inaugural, was delivered before a great crowd gathered in front of the White House, four days before Lincoln's a.s.sa.s.sination.

The evening before, on a similar occasion, he had requested the people to wait until he could prepare his remarks, adding that he wished to be careful, as everything he said got into print. The newspaper reports of the following day state that it was received with great enthusiasm.

The address is of special interest as indicating the att.i.tude of the President toward the difficult question of Reconstruction.

_The evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond_. April 2 and 3 respectively. General Lee surrendered April 9.

_The new const.i.tution of Louisiana_. The const.i.tution was adopted September 5, 1861.

_The proposed amendment_. The thirteenth amendment, abolishing slavery throughout the United States, was proposed in 1864, but failed to receive the necessary two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives.

It was pa.s.sed in 1865, and after receiving the endors.e.m.e.nt of the necessary number of States went into effect December 15 of the same year.