MALICE TO NONE, CHARITY FOR ALL
WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE, WITH CHARITY FOR ALL….
The fourth of March, 1865, stated out to
be dull and rainy. But later in the day it cleared; and it turned out to be
pleasant after all for the President Abraham Lincoln’s second inauguration.
The streets were filled with milling
crowds of people, with cavalry patrols and police. The inauguration platform
had been built on the east front of the Capitol; and here there was a vast sea
of humanity, stretching as far as the eye could see, filling the great plaza
and flooding out into the grounds beyond. As the President appeared and took
his place on the platform, a tremendous roar swept the crowd, rolling back like
thunder to outer edges, loud and prolonged.
Abraham Lincoln had not expected such an
ovation. He has not, in fact, expected to be re-elected at all. No man in
American history had been so hated and reviled, so bitterly denounced, as he
had been these past four years. They had been difficult years- years of great
struggle and suffering, of agony and bloodshed. He had taken over the
leadership of the country at a time of grave crisis, and had given his best
efforts to maintaining and preserving the Union – the only thing that really
mattered.
But he had been misunderstood,
condemned, humiliated in public and in private, assailed alike by friend and
foe. One newspaper had called him “the obscene ape of Illinois.” Horace Greeley
had written an editorial demanding his withdrawal in favour of another
candidate, declaring : Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. He can never be elected.”
His life had been threatened over and over again. Even today, though every
precautions had been taken, he knew there were many who feared for his safety.
No, he had not expected to be
re-elected… not even with the high tide of the confederacy broken and victory
at last in sight. With Grant’s vise closing on Lee, and Sherman moving up from
the south, it was clear the war was almost over. But he felt no elation, either
at the recent victories in the war or his unexpected victory at the polls. He
saw the hand of God in both these events and was humbly grateful for the chance
now given him to complete his great task. He harbored no resentments, had no
slightest wish for retaliation against those who had cruelly slandered and
abused him. He had one interest only : to conciliate the rebellious states and
to rebuild the Union he had sworn to preserve.
The great crowd fell silent as he
stepped forward to make his address. The sun, which had been obscured all day,
suddenly burst through the clouds and flooded the scene with brightness. He
spoke slowly and clearly, his voice vibrant with emotion, aware of the great
importance of this moment and the potential influence of his words on the
nation.
“On the occasion corresponding to this
four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war
…. All knew that slavery was, somehow the cause of the war. …Neither party
expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it had already
attained … Each looked for an easier triumph … 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 man 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 Almighty has His own purposes…… “
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