Second Inaugural Address

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Fellow-Countrymen:
AtthissecondappearingtotaketheoathofthePresidentialofficethereislessoccasionforanextended
addressthantherewasatthefirst.Thenastatementsomewhatindetailofacoursetobepursued
seemedfittingandproper.Now,attheexpirationoffouryears,duringwhichpublicdeclarationshave
beenconstantlycalledforthoneverypointandphaseofthegreatcontestwhichstillabsorbstheattention
andengrossestheenergiesofthenation,littlethatisnewcouldbepresented.Theprogressofourarms,
uponwhichallelsechieflydepends,isaswellknowntothepublicastomyself,anditis,Itrust,reasonably
satisfactoryandencouragingtoall.Withhighhopeforthefuture,nopredictioninregardtoitisventured.
Ontheoccasioncorrespondingtothisfouryearsagoallthoughtswereanxiouslydirectedtoan
impendingcivilwar.Alldreadedit,allsoughttoavertit.Whiletheinauguraladdresswasbeingdelivered
fromthisplace,devotedaltogethertosavingtheUnionwithoutwar,insurgentagentswereinthecity
seekingtodestroyitwithoutwarseekingtodissolvetheUnionanddivideeffectsbynegotiation.Both
partiesdeprecatedwar,butoneofthemwouldmakewarratherthanletthenationsurvive,andtheother
wouldacceptwarratherthanletitperish,andthewarcame.
One-eighthofthewholepopulationwerecoloredslaves,notdistributedgenerallyovertheUnion,but
localizedinthesouthernpartofit.Theseslavesconstitutedapeculiarandpowerfulinterest.Allknewthat
thisinterestwassomehowthecauseofthewar.Tostrengthen,perpetuate,andextendthisinterestwas
theobjectforwhichtheinsurgentswouldrendtheUnionevenbywar,whiletheGovernmentclaimedno
righttodomorethantorestricttheterritorialenlargementofit.Neitherpartyexpectedforthewarthe
magnitudeorthedurationwhichithasalreadyattained.Neitheranticipatedthatthecauseoftheconflict
mightceasewithorevenbeforetheconflictitselfshouldcease.Eachlookedforaneasiertriumph,anda
resultlessfundamentalandastounding.BothreadthesameBibleandpraytothesameGod,andeach
invokesHisaidagainsttheother.ItmayseemstrangethatanymenshoulddaretoaskajustGods
assistanceinwringingtheirbreadfromthesweatofothermensfaces,butletusjudgenot,thatwebenot
judged.Theprayersofbothcouldnotbeanswered.Thatofneitherhasbeenansweredfully.TheAlmighty
hasHisownpurposes.Woeuntotheworldbecauseofoffenses;foritmustneedsbethatoffensescome,
butwoetothatmanbywhomtheoffensecometh.IfweshallsupposethatAmericanslaveryisoneof
thoseoffenseswhich,intheprovidenceofGod,mustneedscome,butwhich,havingcontinuedthrough
Hisappointedtime,Henowwillstoremove,andthatHegivestobothNorthandSouththisterriblewaras
thewoeduetothosebywhomtheoffensecame,shallwediscernthereinanydeparturefromthose
divineattributeswhichthebelieversinalivingGodalwaysascribetoHim?Fondlydowehope,fervently
dowepray,thatthismightyscourgeofwarmayspeedilypassaway.Yet,ifGodwillsthatitcontinueuntil

allthewealthpiledbythebondsmanstwohundredandfiftyyearsofunrequitedtoilshallbesunk,and
untileverydropofblooddrawnwiththelashshallbepaidbyanotherdrawnwiththesword,aswassaid
threethousandyearsago,sostillitmustbesaidthejudgmentsoftheLordaretrueandrighteous
altogether.
Withmalicetowardnone,withcharityforall,withfirmnessintherightasGodgivesustoseetheright,let
usstriveontofinishtheworkwearein,tobindupthenationswounds,tocareforhimwhoshallhave
bornethebattleandforhiswidowandhisorphan,todoallwhichmayachieveandcherishajustand
lastingpeaceamongourselvesandwithallnations.

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