LAD/Blog #15: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address






Lincoln delivered his first inaugural address on March 4th, 1861. The premise of the address was slavery because it was factor that was creating a divide between the North and the South. He took no side on the issue, even though he would later abolish slavery. His goal was to preserve the union and keep the United States together. He assures the South that they have nothing to fear, and that he will not remove any of their rights. He states that the ideals of the Constitution will be used when addressing the issue. He also assures that no violence will be used, but at the same time threatens that any use of force by any state will be seen as revolutionary. He continues to stress the importance of unity. He ends the speech with the famous quote "We are not enemies, but friends, we must not be enemies".



Abraham Lincoln can be compared to Thomas Jefferson for their political beliefs and views. While Lincoln was a Republican he was focused on individual rights and freedom, similar to Jefferson with his demand for the Bill of Rights.

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