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Ethos In Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

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In “The Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln (March 4, 1865),” Lincoln is explaining , to his nation, that he would like his country to be at peace with one another once the Civil War comes to an end. In this worrisome, yet hopeful, speech he has written to the people of his country Lincoln brings his point across by using the rhetorical devices of biblical ethos and pathos appeals. Lincoln expresses his biblical beliefs by informing those who believe that those who are a different race than they are different in every way. Although, just because they are a different race than another does not mean that they are different than them in every way. “...Both read the same bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against …show more content…
all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it… Neither party expected for the war magnitude or the duration which it has already attained.” Lincoln is using this to state that the war was dreaded by everyone, but it had to happen. The people of the country never expected for the war to continue on for as long as it did nor for it to have gotten to the horrible level it had made it to. He is in distress that his country will not come to peace with one another after the war is over. His form of diction has expressed that he is very concerned about what the future has in store for him and his country. He had never expected it to advance in the way it had advanced so he is unsure of how it will end or how his country will be afterwards. Abraham Lincoln is uncertain of how his country will end up after the war ends, which concerns him that his nation will still be hostile with one another even after the war is over. He has set a high goal for his country to be unified with everyone again. Lincoln wants a nation full of peace and love, he is tired of his country being hostile with one another and the hate on the different

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