Inhis

FirstInauguralAddress
,Lincolnspeaksnotofhispersonalviewson
slavery,butofhisdutiesasPresident,to"administerthepresentGovernmentasit
cametohishands".Heattemptstoreassurethoseinsouthernstatesthathis
administrationposesnodangertotheir"property,peaceorsecurity",declaringthathe
hasneitherthe"lawfulright"tointerferewiththeinstitutionofslavery"intheStates
whereitexists",northe"inclinationtodoso".Nevertheless,Lincolnrecognizesa
"substantialdispute"betweenthosewhoargueslavery"isrightandoughttobe
extended",andthosewhoargueitiswrongandopposeitsextension.While
Constitution"doesnotexpressly"resolvethematter,Lincolnbelieveitdoesprovidethe
meanstodoso.
Lincolnopposesthatthesecessionofthesouthernstatesasanillegal
maneuver,arguingthattheConstitution(andtheUnion)cannotbelegallyrescinded
withouttheagreementofalltheparties.Moreover,hearguesthatsecessionwouldlead
toanarchyordespotismwiththisprecedent,hewondersif"aminorityoftheirownwill
secedefromthem"inafewyears.Lincolnexplainsthatsincethepartsofthecountry
cannotphysicallyseparate,andthusmustcontinuetohavesomekindofrelation,it
wouldbeeasierbeing"friends"ratherthan"enemies",byremainingwithintheUnion
andworkingwithintheConstitution(orpossiblybyamendingit).
Lincolnoutlinesanoptimisticcourseofaction,with"aviewandahopeofa
peacefulsolutionofthenationaltroublesandtherestorationoffraternalsympathiesand
affections"hewarns,however,thathewaswillingtoresorttowarifitis"forcedupon
thenationalauthority".Lincolnattemptstoinspirereconsiderationonthepartofthosein
favorofsecessionbyalludingtothehistoryoftheUnion,andspeakingof"allits
benefits,itsmemories,anditshopes."Heplaceshisconfidenceinpopular
judgement,where"truth"and"justice"ofGod"willsurelyprevail",asking"isthereany
betterorequalhopeintheworld"?Finally,Lincolnfurtherreferencesreligionin
appealingtothe"betterangelsofournature"andconcludingthat,"intelligence,
patriotism,Christian,andafirmrelianceon[God]"providethebestwayforward.
Inthe
SecondInauguralAddress
,LincolnpresumesthatAmericanswere
satisfiedandencouragedbytheprospectofendingthewar,andexpresses"highhope
forthefuture".Herecognizesthattheissueofslaverywas"somehowthecauseofthe
war",as"insurgents"seeking"tostrengthen,perpetuate,andextend"theinstitutionof
slaveryrevoltedagainstaGovernmentthat"claimednorighttodomorethantorestrict
theterritorialenlargementofit".However,Lincolndistributesblameforthewartoboth
theNorthandtheSoutheventhough"bothpartiesdeprecatedwar",warnonetheless
came,astheSouthturnedtowar"ratherthanletthenationsurvive,"andtheNorth
similarlyacceptedwar"ratherthanlet[thenation]perish".LincolnwondersifGodgave
to"boththeNorthandtheSouththisterriblewaras...woedue".
Nevertheless,Lincolnseekstomovebeyondblame,alludingtotheBiblein
asking"judgenot,thatwenotbejudged.""Withmalicetowardnone,withcharityforall",
LincolnhopesandpraysthattheNorthandSouthovercometensionandbitterness
towardtheother,workingtogether"tobindupthenation'swounds",andextendingcare
notonlytowidowsandorphans,butalsoto"himwhoshallhavebornethebattle"in
ordertoarriveat"ajustandlastingpeace".