LAD/Blog #15: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Summary:
Right from the beginning, Abraham Lincoln starts off his speech by saying that he sees no need to go through all of the really boring parts of it, like the oath.  Instead, he prefers to talk about the more important things, like the great divide now present between the North and South.  Lincoln clearly states how he does not plan on interfering with the states that currently have slavery.  He believes that he does not actually have the "right" to do this, and would rather focus his energy on the growing issue that slavery causes as the US expands and more new states are added.  Here he thanks those who voted for him, saying that they know who he is and how he is not planning on changing that person.  Lincoln believes in the power of the states, yet never says that they should be superior to the federal government's decisions.  He agrees to protect and carry out the written guidelines of the Constitution, saying he was made president to do so, even mentioning part of the preamble: "to form a more perfect union."  Clearly, Lincoln seems levelheaded and has a plan for how to deal with the current sate of America, as he mentions the Constitution several different times in his address.  He feels that the country absolutely cannot be separated, so there must be a better way to resolve the issue.  Lastly, Lincoln stresses the importance of friendship within the nation, saying that there is no greater bond and that hatred will bring nothing good.

Washington's Inaugural Address was obviously similar to Lincoln's as they were the same event, but the similarities go beyond that, too.  Both men talk about the importance of the Constitution, and support it fully.  They agree on the face that this Constitution is the major guideline for the country, and will be the cause of the country's success.  Additionally, both Lincoln and Washington think that the union should be preserved, although when Washington became president, there weren't nearly as many separately opinions or factions present within the union yet.