The words of Abraham Lincoln

[OETKB]

Lincoln's second inaugural was given on a rainy day in 1865 a month short of the end of the Civil War and instead of glowing in the North's victories, he chose that moment to reflect on the futility of war to settle human injustices. His words are timely today as we witness the battle, not of terrorists or self-righteous nation states or resisters but of what was has always been the fly in the ointment, namely the violent retaliators:

"On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.

One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

I think we all can fill in the appropriate slots to bring this up to date.

[genie_weenie]

1. Which slots?

Like being angry that so many Americans revere a man who in order to keep people under the power of the Government caused 1 million casaulties?

[OETKB]

2. Where did that come from?

This speech was posted to show Lincoln's reasoned sadness about the war. He admits it was wrong and overreached in its scope. You will have to try again and study these words. I was not participating in "hero worship." However sometimes the words have greater strength and can push a direction that is more positive. We do not throw out Jefferson's thoughts because he was a slave owner and profligate. We have warring sides in present conflicts who both feel self righteous because of past grievences and have made the tragic mistake of choosing violence to settle their differences. It is unfortunate that lessons come after humans see their disasterous consequences but in trying to make peace we have to move beyond these barely tolerable imperfections.

[genie_weenie]

4. Why do Lincoln's words matter?

Bush is roundly castigated here on the DU for his actions, and rightly so, yet his total kills aren't equal to a 1/3 of Lincolns.

However, you are correct that both sides feel self-righteous due to past grievances.

Sorry, I realized my post came off fairly angry. It is my fervent wish that men should live alongside one another but until we move beyond "Leaders", Nationalism and Righteous Justification for Wars I fear we never shall...

[Metta]

3. * et. al. don't care about history. You couldn't find more asleep people.

Thanks for the uplifting post.

[Octafish]

5. Lincoln saw the big picture.

Each person can make all the difference in the world. Assassinations make a difference in history.

Had Lincoln lived, it is my belief the nation wouldn't have continued as divided as we find throughout the past 14a years. The North would have helped the South without the hatred and resentments and all the strings of victory. The governments of the South would have treated the freed slaves with respect -- without the legalized segregation and systemic racism.

Who knows what the United States would be like today? It's a good bet it'd be a better place had Lincoln lived.

Thanks for the great post, OETKB.