LAD #15: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Summarize:

Abraham Lincoln recognizes the state of apprehension that consumed the Southern states at the time of his first inauguration. Lincoln relates this worry to their fear that a new president would abolish slavery and, therefore, demolish their economy. However, Lincoln assures the people that the abolishment of slavery was not on his immediate agenda, nor was the diminishment of states' powers. Additionally, Lincoln addresses the problem of a potential secession by the Southern States. He states that the everlasting power of the union as a whole, defined by the constitution, is unbreakable and, therefore, states are unable to leave. Abraham Lincoln conveys his desire to avoid the impending war by declaring that he will not invade the southern states and will consequently not be the cause of any bloodshed between the two opposing sides in America. Likewise, Lincoln explains that through the continued checks and limitations the nation will avoid anarchy and, therefore, secession. This is an extreme problem because in the chance of secession any international slave trade that has been suspended in America will be revived by the southern states. Finally, Lincoln acknowledges the people as the true leaders of the county, they have the power to amend and change the government at anytime to ensure that they continue to hold all of the rights and powers that their predecessors had fought tirelessly for. Therefore, Lincoln leaves the decision of a civil war in the hands of the people, no matter how much he tries to avoid it, Lincoln knows that if the people want to fight, they will. However, Abraham Lincoln closes his first inaugural address by stating that it is not in the nature of patriotic Americans to fight each other, the very foundation of the union was freedom and equality.

See the source image
Photograph of Abraham Lincoln giving his First Inaugural Address in 1861
Daniel Webster's Seventh of March Speech in 1850
Daniel Webster's speech ten years prior to Abraham Lincoln's inauguration discussed many of the same subjects as the latter's inaugural address. However, Webster's speech was actually directed towards the president at that time. Much like Lincoln's speech, Webster advised the Northern Abolitionists to forgo further anti-slavery measures and the pro-slavery Southern states to abide by the established restrictions placed on slavery. Webster's clear intention was to delay any bloodshed between the opposing sides and, at the same time, urging a sense of compromise that was common in this antebellum era of the Civil War.

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