Abraham Lincoln First Inaugural Address Monday, March 4, 1861

Bartleby ^ | March 4, 1861 | Abraham Lincoln

[don-o]

....By the frame of the Government under which we live this same people have wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief, and have with equal wisdom provided for the return of that little to their own hands at very short intervals. While the people retain their virtue and vigilance no Administration by any extreme of wickedness or folly can very seriously injure the Government in the short space of four years.

[don-o]

I have not read this in years, if ever. And I am no admirer of Lincoln. But, the man had a way with actually presenting things in a clear and straightforward manner.

While the people retain their virtue and vigilance...

And that train has clearly left the station.

[Slyfox]

For one of my upper level college politics classes, I decided to read ALL of the Inaugural Addresses in order write my 25 page paper for the class. I read them all three times. It was a very interesting exercise. I found that the Inaugural is intended to be a thankful sermon rather than a campaign speech. The president-elect humbly thanks the people for their confidence punctuated by a deep understanding as to the role they have just received. It is actually a measure of what the man is thinking and feeling in his heart at the moment he is inaugurated. Like a snapshot.

Washington set the example of the best inaugural which all the new presidents followed until Wilson. Lincoln seemed somewhat distracted but was still very presidential. Wilson was very smug and didn't thank anyone. In the 20th century, the Republicans stayed on target as if they had recently read Washington's Inaugural, however the democrats closer to the end of the century seemed to act as if they were still campaigning. Kennedy's was a real nothing punctuated by really crisp phrases that seemed to be not his writing. I was surprised by LBJ's because he seemed like he was quite touched that the people had voted for him. Neither Clinton nor Obama seemed to have any idea that they had just taken an oath before God and the people. They acted like they were still on the campaign trail still telling lies to the people.

All in all, the Inaugural is the best presentation of the president's souls and the best indication as to how they will conduct themselves in office.

[don-o]

Very interesting. Thank you for the post.

I came across that address because I wanted to confirm that he was the source of “the better angels of our nature” phrase that came to my mind as I was listening to Obama last night.

Looking for inspirational and uplifting rhetoric from him seems a futile hope. But, I struggle with myself to hold out hope that, like Darth Vader, a bit of good remains in him.

[BenLurkin]

He was eloquent.

Perhaps too eloquent for the nation’s good.