“Four score and seven years ago our forefathers…” (1863) this is one of the most quoted lines from a presidential speech ever. This speech was written by Abraham Lincoln on his way to address the union troops at Gettysburg. Lincoln was an amazing writer and speaker and was the first Republican president of the United States of America. Though this may not seem like an amazing feat in light of the Republican party of today, in 1860 there had never been a Republican in office. The Republican Party of 1860 was liberal, contrary to the extremely conservative party of the United States of 2016, but like today’s Republican Party, its philosophy and beliefs were in direct conflict with the Democratic Party. A liberal party was just what the nation
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This belief would be foundational for Lincoln in the future and the development of his leadership and political opinion.
Lincoln’s political legacy continued to develop and as Merrill D. Peterson points out was, “first, the supremacy of the national government, and second, its responsibility to advance the freedom and equality of all citizens” (1994, p. 156). Lincoln strongly believed on his own ability to make decisions and stood firm on those beliefs. If he found there was a motion he did not agree with, it did not matter how his peers had voted, he would vote his beliefs and conscience.
The first part of his legacy “supremacy of the national government” Lincoln would unite a party under one man and place back together a country that was tearing itself apart (M. D. Peterson, 1994, p. 156). A strong central government is a government that is not focused on states rights but on how much control the federal government has. This was the focus and goal of the early Republicans and of Lincoln in how he would run his campaign and …show more content…
“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war,” he wrote in his original inaugural draft”With you, and not with me, is the solemn question of ‘Shall it be peace, or a sword?” (2008, p.275).
Lincoln did of course “draw his sword” and with the Civil War and the battles which ensued came a whole new set of difficulties for the government. Both the Republicans and their opposition believed that war was inevitable but neither could agree how to fundamentally deal with it. As the war went on and later drew to a close one thing remained: a strong leader that had not strayed from his post and that man was Abraham
This belief would be foundational for Lincoln in the future and the development of his leadership and political opinion.
Lincoln’s political legacy continued to develop and as Merrill D. Peterson points out was, “first, the supremacy of the national government, and second, its responsibility to advance the freedom and equality of all citizens” (1994, p. 156). Lincoln strongly believed on his own ability to make decisions and stood firm on those beliefs. If he found there was a motion he did not agree with, it did not matter how his peers had voted, he would vote his beliefs and conscience.
The first part of his legacy “supremacy of the national government” Lincoln would unite a party under one man and place back together a country that was tearing itself apart (M. D. Peterson, 1994, p. 156). A strong central government is a government that is not focused on states rights but on how much control the federal government has. This was the focus and goal of the early Republicans and of Lincoln in how he would run his campaign and …show more content…
“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war,” he wrote in his original inaugural draft”With you, and not with me, is the solemn question of ‘Shall it be peace, or a sword?” (2008, p.275).
Lincoln did of course “draw his sword” and with the Civil War and the battles which ensued came a whole new set of difficulties for the government. Both the Republicans and their opposition believed that war was inevitable but neither could agree how to fundamentally deal with it. As the war went on and later drew to a close one thing remained: a strong leader that had not strayed from his post and that man was Abraham