bradsaptblog

Allow me to precede my observations by making a personal one; I absolutely love reading Lincoln. The way the man used words should be the envy of every person who writes in english. His eloquence is unmatched, and his intellect obvious. Thank you for assigning this book.

Now, on to the reading.

I would like to analyze the first reading. What struck me immediately was Lincoln's knowledge, as early as 1838, that a conflict pitting American against American was basically imminent. His optomism regarding the state of our nation at that time was refreshing, but his outlook bleak. He says:

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.

He ended that speech with a colage of praise for our founding fathers, but also with a warning for the young men in the audience. Lincoln knew that the generation before him was great, but also a dying breed. He realized that the sons and grandsons of the Revolutionary's would have to inherit their land and laws, but must not blindly follow their blue prints. The next group, according to Lincoln, must not only preserve and remember what the framers fought for and created, but make it better.

Again, the speech was very uplifting, but also very honest. He began by citing some cruel injustices that were popular in the day, mainly the lynching of people unfitting such punishment. He explained why such action should not be accepted, and because of those types of actions, the best among us should rise up and take the lead. It was a very appropriate speech to give to an audience made up of youth. Typical Lincoln.