Question

"pHE FOURTH of March, 1865, started out to be dull and rainy.

JL But later in the day it cleared; and it turned out to be pleasant

after all for the President's second inauguration.

The streets were filled with milling crowds of people, with cav-

alry patrols and police. The inauguration platform had been built

on the east front of the Capitol; and here there was a vast sea of humanity, stretching as far as the eye could see, filHng the great

plaza and flooding out into the grounds beyond. As the President

appeared and took his place on the platform, a tremendous roar

swept the crowd, rolling back like thunder to the outer edges, loud

and prolonged.

Abraham Lincoln had not expected such an ovation. He had

not, in fact, expected to be re-elected at all. No man in American

history had been so hated and reviled, so bitterly denounced, as

he had been these past four years. They had been difficult years-

years of great struggle and suff'ering, of agony and bloodshed. He

had taken over the leadership of the country at a time of grave

crisis, and had given his best eff^orts to maintaining and preserving

the Union—the only thing that really mattered.

But he had been misunderstood, condemned, humiliated in pub-

lic and in private, assailed alike by friend and foe. One newspaper

had called him "the obscene ape of Illinois." Horace Greeley had

wnritten an editorial demanding his withdrawal in favor of another

candidate, declaring: "Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. He can never

be elected." His life had been threatened over and over again.

Even today, though every precaution had been taken, he knew

there were many who feared for his safety.

No, he had not expected to be re-elected . . . not even with

the high tide of the Confederacy broken and victory at last in sight.

With Grant's vise closing on Lee, and Sherman moving up from

the south, it was clear the war was almost over. But he felt no ela-

tion, either at the recent victories in the war or his own unexpected

victory at the polls. He saw the hand of God in both these events,

and was humbly grateful for the chance now given him to com-

plete his great task. He harbored no resentments, had no slightest

wish for retaliation against those who had cruelly slandered and

abused him. He had one interest only: to conciliate the rebellious

states and to rebuild the Union he had sworn to preserve.

The great crowd fell silent as he stepped forward to make his

address. The sun, which had been obscured all day, suddenly burst

through the clouds and flooded the scene with brightness. He

spoke slowly and clearly, his voice vibrant with emotion, aware of

the great importance of this moment and the potential influence of

his words on the nation.

"On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all

thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. . . . All knew that slavery was, somehow, the cause of the war. . . . Neither 'party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration

which it has already attained. . . . Each looked for an easier tri-

umph. . . . Both read the same Bible, and pray to the sam^e 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 Almighty has His

own purposes. . . ."

The huge crowd hstened without a sound. This was not party

language. This was not poHtical phraseology. Abraham Lincoln

was talking out of the fullness of his heart, to a people and nation

he loved, appealing for peace and tolerance, for understanding, for

an end to sectional bitterness and strife.

There was no hint of self-aggrandizement anywhere in his

speech, no boasting about his re-election, no praise for the adminis-

tration and what it had accomplished. The Union was his main

theme, his main interest ... a strong, united, unbroken nation,

firm in its loyalties and ideals. He wanted no gloating, no malice-

above all, no malice! The issues involved were too vast to admit

of malicious dealing. His aim was to end all feelings of hatred and

resentment between North and South, to bind up the nation's

wounds, to prevent—in so far as possible—the unhappy after-

maths of war.

He closed with this passage, which has been called "the purest

gold of human eloquence";

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 our-

selves and with all nations.

Write a summary and personal reflection from above words.??

write only 200words

Answer 1

The given passage talks about the moments after Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as the president of the United States of America. The results of the election came as surprise to many due to the previous incidents across the country. Most of his opposition was vocal and Lincoln himself was not sure whether he would be re-elected again. His words show his pure heart and his intentions. On the day, he spoke as a one among the community with a dream of a unified nation. He highlighted the issues the community faced with slavery and its abolishment and the cultural challenges it led to. All these show the emotional and mental pressure that leaders of the nation undergo. They need support from the community when they face a challenge. They fight for improving the nation, not their motives. His words show he has deep gratitude towards the community for providing another opportunity and his firm belief that all members of the community are equal. His call for a unified nation stems from his deep belief that every individual knows they need to be treated equally. His deep belief in the goodwill of community and unification of the country is evident in this message