Ethical Issues In Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Throughout his term of office as America’s forefront public official, Lincoln relied heavily on scripture. A divided union is certainly no loss to a Biblical scholar, and Lincoln’s knowledge of religious and literary discord aided him through the quest of reuniting his conflicted republic. In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln relayed the very essence of the spiritual and practical expression that lied behind the action of America’s bloodiest crusade. He chose the words of Jesus; words which preceded the widely recounted parable of the lost sheep. “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 understood that America was like the lost sheep told in this parable. He recognized that justice must come through harsh conflict, but a return to moral conduct far outweighed the cost of an alternative. The sheep, gone astray, must return to its pack, no …show more content…
However, one must argue that his drive was riddled with serious ethical compromise. For example, following the succession of the southern states, Lincoln had both the authority and political capital to free the slaves currently held in the border states. To an outsider, his decision to this executive action and allow the slaves to remain imprisoned brings one to question his claimed moral imperative. However, Lincoln well understood the consequences of such an action. If any of the four border states were to join the rebellious southerners, it would not only present a serious military threat, but aid the southerns in both momentum and much needed agricultural and fiscal resources. As I am certain this moral dilemma plagued Lincoln in the weeks leading to the emancipation, I am convinced that an alternative was not considered. The Union would win the war, and if it was on the backs of freemen and slaves alike, so be