Journal #21

Michelle Romero
English 48
Dr. Scott Lankford

Author: Abraham Lincoln

"On the occasion corresponding to this for years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it--all sought to avert it....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" (1636).

In his inaugural speech, Lincoln once again describes the unity between the states. He is always, always about maintaining unity. In this case, Lincoln points fingers at no one for the war, even though there is now a clear "winner." In a sense, he does not see any "winner" coming from war. He maintains his neutrality and declares that no one wanted the war. No one could have imagined how long it would last. To make this point, he repeatedly says the word "all" so as to elude to the fact that they are all in the same boat.

This is very important for him to do because at this point families have been broken up, husbands and children have been lost, widows have been left, orphans have been left, and the nation needs a savior. It is easy for people to live with the hate experienced after someone or something so dear is taken away from you, but Lincoln brings them all back in to focus by saying that all of them are victims, all of them share the same experiences.

He never once points the finger at anyone within their walls, but instead says that "insurgents" did it. So classic! No one of them is responsible, but instead some outside force. And "the war came." His passiveness makes it seem like no one could have stopped or started the war, it just happened.

In any case, Lincoln's ability to unite the nation and maintain neutrality are clearly expressed in these passages.