Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of America's greatest president, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln presided over the nation when it was at its most monumental risk. At no other time in our history, before or after, was this nation in such grave danger of failure than during our Civil War. Lincoln led the nation through that very difficult time with wisdom, aplomb, and a bit of humor.
As a retired speech teacher, I naturally think of the many vital speeches Lincoln gave as President and before. He is the man who said of his electoral victory and the impending Northern victory in the Civil War, "With malice toward none; with charity for all, with firmness in the right as god gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in." Some really good advice in Lincoln's day and for us today.
None of his speeches was more important than what is perhaps the shortest Presidential address in our history, the Gettysburg Address. Short as it was, less than 270 words, this was perhaps the most essential speech Lincoln would give, in his life. The battle at Gettysburg was an major turning point in the war to save the nation, but this long and destructive war was a long way from over and in the North there was increasing discontent over it. In less than three minutes, Lincoln tied the terrible events on that battlefield a few days earlier together with the overall purpose of the war and told people exactly what they were fighting for. It was quite a daunting task for less than three minutes. Edward Everett's two-hour oration just before did not even come close. Lincoln described the Gettysburg battle and the entire war as step toward a "new birth of freedom" and a validation of the proposition "that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth." Lincoln's elegant language made sense to the people of his day and to successive generations that have read it and been captivated by his words.