Abraham Lincoln

Faysal jama

History civilazith America

July 26, 2011

Abraham Lincoln

In the following excerpt from his full-length study Abraham Lincoln as a Man of Letters, Robinson sheds light on the distinguishing features of three of Lincoln's speeches: the Cooper Union Speech, "Gettysburg Address," and Second Inaugural Address.

In conception and content the Cooper Union Address is remarkable. It was perhaps the best fortified as well as the most convincing and effective political address of an argumentative nature before an American audience up to that time. It aimed to promote the popular endorsement of the Republican Party at the next national election. It sought to confirm in the faith of that party any who were doubtful which of the parties or principles it would be wiser to support. It purposed to show a distinct and unanswerable difference in goal between the Douglas policy and that maintained by the Republicans. Moreover, it intended to disarm the leaders of the South of disunion arguments, to present with exactness the attitude of Lincoln's party toward slavery, and to inspire the nation with confidence in the high moral purpose and sense of justice which he believed to be the soul of that attitude. Lincoln's unusual capacity for research and exposition is fully shown in his answer to a statement made by Douglas at Columbus, Ohio. Our fathers, when they framed the government under which we live, understood this question just as well, and even better, than we do now.