 In that terrible civil war, our nation, her bosom rent,
poured forth her blood in retribution of our Republic’s great sin. The founding
fathers, owing partly no doubt to the times, inflicted with undue prejudice, lacking of
science, unable in their humanity or overwhelmed in their duty, left for later generations
the abrogation of slavery.
Jefferson, himself a slave owner, on slavery warned,
"…can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their
only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the
gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my
country when I reflect that God is just." Perhaps in fulfillment of
Jefferson’s lament, the Republic, in civil war did indeed suffer the wrath of God.
In the immortal words at Gettysburg it is important to
recognize President Lincoln did not disparage but rather offered equal homage to, "all
those who gave the last full measure of devotion".
Save one word, I would not append this healing treatise.
That word, ...AMEN.
Scott Dawes
January 6, 2000
|
|
 Four score and seven
years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil
war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long
endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion
of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that
nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense, we can not
dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living
and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or
detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather
for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that
government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. |
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863 |
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