Lincoln on Democracy

"A KING'S CURE FOR ALL THE EVILS"

Lincoln and Democracy, 1863-1865 339 subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. SCHUYLER COLFAX Speaker of the House of Representatives. H.HAMLIN Vice President of the United States, and President of the Senate. Approved, February 1, 1865. ABRAHAM LINCOLN "A KING'S CURE FOR ALL THE EVILS" Response to a Serenade, the White House [FEBR U AR Y I, 1865] Congressional passage of the 13th Amendment brought serenaders back to the White House. In his greetings, Lincoln took particular pride in noting that his home state of Illinois had become the first to ratify. This is a New York newspaper report of his remarks. The President said he supposed the passage through Congress of the Constitutional amendment for the abolishment of Slavery throughout the United States, was the occasion to which he was indebted for the honor of this call. [Applause]. The occasion was one of congratulation to the country and to the whole world. But there is a task yet before us-to go forward and consummate by the votes of the States that which Congress so nobly began yesterday. [Applause and cries-"They will do it," &c.] He had the honor to inform those present that Illinois had already to-day done the work. [Applause.] Maryland was about half through; but he felt proud that Illinois was a little ahead. He thought this measure was a very fitting if not an indispensable adjunct 340 LINCOLN ON DEMOCRACY to the winding up of the great difficulty. He wished the reunion of all the States perfected and so effected as to remove all causes of disturbance in the future; and to attain this end it was necessary that the original disturbing cause should, if possible, be rooted out. He thought all would bear him witness that he had never shrunk from doing all that he could to eradicate Slavery by issuing an emancipation proclamation. [Applause.] But that proclamation falls far short of what the amendment will be when fully consummated. A question might be raised whether the proclamation was legally valid. It might be added that it only aided those who came into our lines and that it was inoperative as to those who did not give themselves up, or that it would have no effect upon the children of the slaves born hereafter. In fact it would be urged that it did not meet the evil. But this amendment is a King's cure for all the evils. [Applause.] It winds the whole thing up. He would repeat that it was the fitting ifnot indispensable adjunct to the consummation of the great game we are playing. He could not but congratulate all present, himself, the country and the whole world upon this great moral victory. "WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE" Second Inaugural Address [MARCH 4, 186 5] One ofLincoln's most polished, sophisticated efforts, perhaps the greatest of all his speeches, the second inaugural address was delivered beneath overcast skies outside the U.S. Capitol. But as Lincoln spoke, the sun burst through the clouds in what the chiefjustice called "an auspicious omen of the dispersion of the clouds of war." Lincoln admitted, "It made my heart jump. " Several days later, he said of the speech: "I expect" it will "wear as well as-perhaps better than-any thing I have ever produced; but I believe it is not immediately popular. " Lincoln explained: "Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference ofpurpose between the Almighty and them. " His magnanimous epilogue to the Civil ...