The History Book Club discussion

This is the reading assignment for the final installment - week twelve - (January 18, 2010 - January 24, 2010):

Chapters 26 (pages 647 - End )

Chapter 26:

With Malice Toward None, With Charity for All - December 1864 - April 1865 - page 647

Hello Everyone,

We have opened up threads for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers.

This book was kicked off on November 1st. And this will be the final week's assignment for this book...but please keep posting as you complete the book and we will of course respond.

We look forward to your participation. Barnes and Noble and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, or on your Kindle.

You may be hard pressed to complete the book by the end of next week if you have not yet begun reading. However, we do leave the threads open even if they are moved to archive so you can easily still access and still post. We would love to hear your comments and answer any questions that you might have.

This thread usually starts on a Monday which would normally have been January 18, 2010. However, since our Assisting Moderator -Presidential Series (Joe) will be going on vacation mid week, we thought that we would allow him to start a bit earlier.

Welcome for those who are still newcomers to the discussion and thank you to those who are actively contributing. We are glad to have you all.

~Bentley


TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL

by Ronald C. White Jr. (no photo)

Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865, during his inauguration at the start of his second term as President of the United States. At a time when victory over the secessionists in the American Civil War was within days and slavery was near an end, Lincoln did not speak of happiness, but of sadness. Some see this speech as a defense of his pragmatic approach to Reconstruction, in which he sought to avoid harsh treatment of the defeated South by reminding his listeners of how wrong both sides had been in imagining what lay before them when the war began four years earlier. Lincoln balanced that rejection of triumphalism, however, with a recognition of the unmistakable evil of slavery, which he described in the most concrete terms possible. Unbeknownst to him, John Wilkes Booth, David Herold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Paine, John Surratt and Edmund Spangler, a few of the conspirators involved with his assassination were present in the crowd at the inauguration. It is inscribed, along with the Gettysburg Address, in the Lincoln Memorial.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln%...

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
March 4, 1865

Fellow-Countrymen:

At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued, seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention, and engrosses the enerergies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself; and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it—all sought to avert it. While the inaugeral address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissole the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" If we shall suppose that American Slavery is one of those offences which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope—fervently do we pray—that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether"

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

I particularity liked Wikipedia's sources and themes of the address.

Sources and themes of the Second Inaugural.

The words "wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces" are an allusion to the Fall of Man in the book of Genesis. As a result of Adam's sin, God tells Adam that henceforth "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:19, King James Version).

Lincoln's phrase, "but let us judge not, that we be not judged," is an allusion to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1, which in the King James Version reads, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

Lincoln quotes another of the sayings of Jesus: "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." Lincoln's quoted language comes from Matthew 18:7; a similar discourse by Jesus appears in Luke 17:1.

The quotation 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether' is from Psalm 19:9 in the King James Bible.

Lincoln's points, that God's purposes are not directly knowable to humans, represent a theme that Lincoln had expressed earlier. After Lincoln's death, his secretaries found among his papers an undated manuscript now generally known as the "Meditations on the Divine Will". In that manuscript, Lincoln wrote:

The will of God prevails — In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong. God cannot be for, and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is somewhat different from the purpose of either party — and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect this.

Lincoln's sense that the divine will was unknowable stood in marked contrast to sentiments popular at the time. In the popular mind, both sides of the Civil War assumed that they could read God's will and assumed his favor in their opposing causes. Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic expressed sentiments common among the supporters of the Union cause, that the Union was waging a righteous war that served God's purposes. Similarly, the Confederacy chose Deo vindice as its motto, often translated as "God will vindicate us." Lincoln, responding to compliments from Thurlow Weed on the speech, said that "... I believe it is not immediately popular. Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them."

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln%...

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address is widely considered his finest speech, and quite possibly, one of the finest in our nation's history. The culmination of Lincoln's entire life including his education, his leadership skills, his strong personal religious views, and his powerful eloquence through his speeches and writings come to a head here in his second inaugural address. The war has almost come to an end, slavery is emancipated, and Lincoln wants to start the healing process, and that process starts here. How did Lincoln come to such powerful conclusions here? What stages in his thinking made his conclusions come out in this way? These are some of my motivations in studying Lincoln.

I also think that White has done a wonderful job in attempting to answer some of those questions in some of his other works. I am expecting him to continue that work and look forward to them.

The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words and Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural.



Also works like: Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words by Douglas L. Wilson and Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills. I will be studying these works in the future, and I expect White's next book will be also about this subject, or something quite similar.



Douglas L. Wilson
Garry Wills

Lincoln's Assassination

As far as Lincoln's assassination goes, I always hate the ending of most works about Lincoln because they have to end with him being shot in the prime of his life. But ironically, one of the best written stories written about Lincoln is about his assassination and the 12 day hunt for his killer. I highly recommend everyone read Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson. It really does read like a modern adventure novel. Swanson even published a version of the book for children that I couldn't resist picking up called, Chasing Lincoln's Killer. Swanson's life-long fascination about this chase shines through every word. This really is a must read.

Here's my review I posted back in July:

I was stunned right from the get-go by the enormous amount of information that has been gathered about this event. Swanson describes how numerous historians and contemporaries have been able to piece together what happened in great detail, and he was able to ride on the shoulders of these many to tell as complete a story as possible. He explains how Thomas Jones, a former Confederate agent who helped Booth and Herold hide for 5 days and 4 nights in the thick woods near his home, lived into his 70's, and thereby filling in an abundance of detail that quite easily have been lost forever. And Swanson does a spectacular job of capturing the imagery needed to portray the action successfully to his reader. A captivating read.


James L. Swanson

So what a great book

I think that Lincoln seems to have, in a way given the opportunity by the rebellion of the southern states, led us to the modifications of the constitution that made ait a document that could tae us into the 20th century and beyond - so far

The more I think about it I have to feel that he personally had more influence in forging our government to how it is than any other acting as an individual.

The founding fathers worked together - building from Locke etc - from the "rights of Englishmen" but omitting the monarchy.

So maybe Washington defined the presidency and let the beginning

But Lincoln worked alone - and against other Americans - to help refine and "correct" (my word) the constitution.

So it seems to me - maybe Mr. Ellis will change my mind in February but I don't think so.

Yes, Vince... this book was exceptional. I really enjoyed it as well.

The founding generation knew that if they tried to deal with the slavery issue, they wouldn't accomplish gaining the majority needed to create the country, and ratify the constitution. They kicked the can down the road for Lincoln to pick up.

Joe wrote: "Lincoln's Assassination

As far as Lincoln's assassination goes, I always hate the ending of most works about Lincoln because they have to end with him being shot in the prime of his life. But iron..."

I have not read Swanson's book but one that came out about the same time several years ago is "American Brutus" by Kauffman.



Michael W. Kauffman

I found that one absolutely outstanding. Well written and researched. Well worth reading.

Thanks for the recommendation, James.
I'll look for it.