The Rhetoric of Abraham Lincoln

1
The Rhetoric of Abraham Lincoln

• Ashley Arnold
• Casey Wilkinson

2
Lincolns Equality Rhetoric

• David Zarefsky

3
The Nature of Rhetoric and Change

• The classic political paradox remaining
  consistent in ones basic principles while also
  adapting to changing circumstances and audiences
• David Zarefsky examines how Lincoln navigated
  this paradox in respect to the pressing issue of
  equality
• We will attempt to trace the evolution of
  Lincolns stance by examining his rhetoric in
  public statements

4
Lincolns Early Thoughts on Equality

• Lincoln held a consistently limited view of
  racial equality until midway through the Civil
  War when, under the force of military necessity,
  it began to change. Yet he articulated his
  position in a way that also permitted a more
  expansive view of equality once the time was
  right.
• Lincolns first public statement on slavery came
  in 1837. He stated, (slavery is) founded on
  both injustice and bad policy. He then added,
  abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than
  abate its evils
• Therefore, he condemned slavery, but did not see
  abolition as a satisfactory alternative, and did
  not yet advocate equality.

5
Lincolns Early Thoughts on Equality

• In 1854 Lincoln the issue of slavery becomes
  paramount in public discourse due to the
  Kansas-Nebraska Act
• Lincolns speeches then began to clarify his
  objection to slavery on moral grounds, however,
  he focused on his objection to extending slavery
  into the free territories.
• In 1854 Lincoln stated, There is a vast
  difference between toleration slavery where it
  enjoyed institutional protection, and protecting
  the slaveholder in the rights granted him by the
  Constitution, and extending slavery over a
  territory already free, and uncontaminated with
  the institution.
• Lincoln was not ready to support abolition or
  equality in public

6
Lincolns Early Thoughts on Equality

• In October, Lincoln continued to establish a
  foundation of moral objection to slavery in his
  rhetoric. He stated that he hated slavery both,
  because of the monstrous injustice of slavery
  itself and because it deprives our republican
  example of its just influence in the world.
• This statement gives Lincoln a basis for
  universal objection to slavery. At this time,
  however, he refuses to take it that far.

7
Lincolns Early Thoughts on Equality

• In 1855 there were two major developments in
  Lincolns equality rhetoric
• First, he focused on ending slavery in the future
  rather than in the present. Lincoln stated, Can
  we, as a nation, continue together permanently
  forever half slave and half free?
• Second, Lincolns speeches and writings began to
  clarify that slavery was evil because it denied
  the basic human right of the right to rise.

8
1857 The Springfield Speech

• This speech was given shortly after the Dred
  Scott decision.
• It is vital in Lincolns equality rhetoric
  evolution because it marks the first time he
  publicly articulated the goal of an eventual end
  to slavery and is evidence he was beginning to
  support the idea of equality.

9
Four Key Components of the Speech

• 1. Dissociation and the Meaning of Equality
• 2. Constructing Equality as an abstract idea
• 3. Defending against the charge of Extremism
• 4. Defining Douglas as an Extremist

10
Dissociation and the Meaning of Equality

• At this time debate centered around what the
  founders mean by all men are created equal.
• In this speech, Lincoln stated, I think the
  authors of that notable instrument intended to
  include all men, but they did not intend to
  declare all men equal in all respects. They did
  not mean to say that all were equal in color,
  size, intellect, moral developments, or social
  capacity. They defined with tolerable
  distinctness, in what respects they did consider
  all men equal equal in certain inalienable
  rights, among which are life liberty, and the
  pursuit of happiness.
• This is called dissociation, taking a seemingly
  unitary term equality and suggesting it
  actually has several different dimensions and
  meanings, rejecting some and embracing others.

11
Equality as an Abstract Ideal

• Lincolns second move in the Springfield speech
  was to regard the achievement of equality as an
  abstract ideal rather than an immediate political
  goal.
• Lincoln stated, (the Founders) did not mean to
  assert the obvious untruth, that all were then
  actually enjoying that equality, nor yet that
  they were about to confer it immediately upon
  them. In fact they had no power to confer such a
  boon. They meant to simply declare the right, so
  that the enforcement of it might follow as fast
  as circumstances should permit.
• Thus, Lincoln establishes the Founding Fathers as
  his allies which leads to contrasting Douglas as
  a villain.

12
Defending against the charge of Extremism

• Lincoln emphasized that Republicans had yielded
  to the Courts Dred Scott decision.
• (Douglas) denounces all who question the
  correctness of that decision, as offering violent
  resistance to it. But who resists it? Who has,
  in spite of the decision, declared Dred Scott
  free, and resisted the authority of his master
  over him?
• Lincoln also stated that Douglas was attempting
  to dodging the real issues by focusing on the
  slavery debate.

13
Defining Douglas as Extremist

• Lincoln charged that Douglas was actively working
  to spread slavery into the territories.
• Just like today, both were trying to paint the
  other as extremists to make them less appealing
  to the middle.

14
1858 The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

• Lincoln would make seemingly contrasting
  statements in different regions of the state in
  regards to equality while running for Senate.
• For example, Lincoln stated, Let us discard all
  this quibbling about this race or that race being
  in an inferior positionlet us discard all these
  things and unite as one people throughout this
  land.
• Two weeks later he stated, there must be the
  position of superior and inferior, and I as much
  as any other man am in favor of having the
  superior position assigned to the white race.
• Lincoln was able to make such statements in
  different regions, yet also remain consistent
  overall by maintaining the dissociation and
  utilizing hedging devices.

15
Maintaining the Dissociation

• Lincoln continued to distinguish between equality
  as an economic principle and equality as a social
  and political principle.
• Lincoln distinguished between the rights of a man
  and the rights of a citizen.
• Therefore, when he said all men are created
  equal, he was speaking in an economic sense, when
  he disclaimed equality, he was speaking in a
  social and political sense. Thus making the two
  statements consistent.

16
Hedging Devices

• Lincoln used hedging devices to give himself room
  to modify his views later when conditions
  warranted, and still be able to claim
  consistency.
• For example, tied all of his statements about
  rights to the Declaration of Independence.
  Therefore, if with time the views of the meaning
  of the rights outlined in the Declaration of
  Independence changed, then his did too.
• Another example can be found in a response to
  Douglas, I agree with Judge Douglas the negro
  is not my equal in many respectscertainly not in
  color, perhaps not in moral or intellectual
  endowment. (emphasis added)

17
Into the Presidency

• Lincolns basic position on racial equality
  changed little between the debates in 1858 and
  his accession to the presidency in 1861.
• He increasingly aligned his view with that which
  he attributed to the founding fathers and the
  Declaration of Independence, yet he consistently
  distinguished economic rights from political and
  social rights.

18
Into the Presidency

• The Civil War caused Lincoln to gently began
  distancing himself from his earlier disavowals of
  racial equality.
• For the first two years of the war, he made it
  clear that the goal was the preservation of the
  Union, not the eradication of slavery.
• As the war proceeded, that goal allowed him to
  justify more radical measures. The Union would
  be helped if slaves in the rebel states could
  defect to the Union side.

19
Into the Presidency

• In 1864 he wrote a letter to Albert Hodges, in
  which he stated, I am naturally anti-slavery.
  If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can
  not remember when I did not so think, and feel.
  And yet I have never understood that the
  Presidency conferred upon me any unrestricted
  right to act officially upon this judgment and
  feeling.
• Lincolns own beliefs were not deemed sufficient
  to justify his attacks on slavery only military
  necessity could do that.

20
Conclusion

• Lincolns basic position always remained the same
  throughout his career
• He favored economic equality, but not social and
  political equality between the races.
• Lincoln adapted this basic position in different
  ways as the audience and situation required,
  relying on dissociation and hedging devices.
• In the end, it was military necessity and desire
  to keep the union together that gave him the
  RIGHT to act on how he FELT.

21
Major Rhetorical Challenges facing Lincoln

• Interpret conflict between the North and the
  South
• Ensue the Civil War to support the Union cause
• Sustain commitment to the war
• Justify the sacrifices entailed

22

• The First
• Inaugural
• Address
• March 4, 1861

23
First Inaugural

• Lincoln entered his first term with the intent to
  preserve the union at all costs
• In his first address, he attempts to cement the
  continued support of the citizens.
• In terms of understanding Lincolns rhetoric,
  this speech is quite clear as it reflects the
  controversies that surrounded Lincoln at the
  time.

24
First Inaugural

• Announces Lincolns intention to respect the
  rights of states in regard to slavery.
• Lincoln remarked I have no purpose, directly or
  indirectly, to interfere with the institution of
  Slavery in the states where it exists. I believe
  that I have no lawful right to do so, and I have
  no inclination to do so.

25
First Inaugural

• Mention of the Constitution occurs often mostly
  to justify his beliefs
• Lincoln comments that he intends to uphold the
  provision of the Constitution that assures the
  return of fugitive slaves, and also vows to never
  construe the Constitution by any hypercritical
  rules.
• All members of congress swear their support to
  the whole constitution-to this provision, as much
  as to any other

26
First Inaugural

• Most significant issue addressed the disruption
  of the Union.
• Lincoln states in a lucid manner, no state upon
  its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the
  Unionand acts of violence within any State or
  States, against the United states are
  revolutionary

27
First Inaugural

• Boldly, Lincoln implies what he will and will not
  do to preserve the Union.
• He will see that the laws are adhered to in all
  states, and he will continue to hope for a
  peaceful solution of the national troubles and
  the restoration of fraternal sympathies and
  affections.
• He will not tolerate violence or force to enforce
  laws unless necessary to defend the property of
  the government.

28
First Inaugural

• Lincoln continues to make his support of the
  Union known, and moreover, tries to offer advice
  to those not in favor of the principles of the
  Union.
• By stating the central idea of secession is the
  essence of anarchy, Lincoln attempts to persuade
  the minority to agree to the will of the majority
  (the Union).

29

• The
• Gettysburg
• Address
• November 19, 1863

30
Gettysburg Address

• As the war continued, Lincoln began to see it as
  a struggle over the values in the Declaration of
  Independence rather than simply a disagreement
  over constitutional issues.
• In this address, Lincolns main rhetorical task
  was to offer citizens a fair interpretation of
  what the war meant and to make sense of issues at
  hand.

31
Gettysburg Address

• Lincoln intends to represent the larger meaning
  that emerges from the sacrifices made by the
  soldiers.
• Lincoln notes that we have come to dedicate a
  portion of that field, as a final resting place
  for those who here gave their lives
• He goes on to state that in a larger sense, we
  cannot dedicate, consecrate or hollow this
  ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
  struggled here, have consecrated it, far above
  our poor power to add or detract.

32
Gettysburg Address

• At this point, Lincoln encourages listeners that
  they can resolve that these dead shall not have
  died in vain that the nation shall, under God,
  have a new birth of freedom, and that the
  government of the people, by the people and for
  the people, shall not perish from the earth.
• Lincoln emphasizes here that the Civil War is not
  a political struggle over the rights of states to
  secede, but rather a test of the survival of the
  nation, by and for the people.
• He wanted to make sure that the sacrifices of the
  men during the war were recognized and that the
  cause for which they died was not lost.

33

• The Second
• Inaugural
• Address
• March 4,1865

34
Second Inaugural

• Lincoln spoke from quite a different perspective
  in this addresshe adopted the platform that
  advocated the emancipation of the slaves.
• In this address, he reflects upon the meaning of
  the war for the country as a whole.
• Only four paragraphs, yet encompassing and
  profound

35
Second Inaugural

• In the introductory paragraph, Lincoln comments
  briefly on the state of the war, as he notes it
  is reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to
  all.
• Lincoln then sums up the first paragraph by
  noting that he has high hope for the future in
  terms of the state of war.

36
Second Inaugural

• In the second paragraph of the speech, Lincoln
  starts with a description of the situation in
  1861, when all dreaded war.
• The paragraph then shifts to a clear description
  of the positions of the two sides, all the while,
  placing blame on the South for ultimately ensuing
  the events.
• Of the South, Lincoln states one of them would
  make war rather than let the nation survive, and
  of the North he comments the other would accept
  war rather than let it perish.

37
Second Inaugural

• In the third paragraph, Lincoln suggests that all
  knew that slavery was somehow the cause of the
  war.
• He clearly denotes a contrast between the north
  and the south when he states, It may seem
  strange that any men should dare to ask a just
  God's assistance in wringing their bread from the
  sweat of other men's faces but let us judge not
  that we be not judged.
• Places Lincoln and the North on a superior level.

38
Second Inaugural

• Lincoln continues with the ethereal theme as he
  continues into the third paragraph.
• He states that the Almighty has His own
  purposes and further continues to state that God
  having now continued through His appointed time,
  He now wills to remove.
• Lincoln suggests that for it needs be that
  offenses come and both the North and South are
  required to sacrifice through the war to
  compensate for the guilt of slavery. However, he
  makes it known that the South advocated the
  practice of slavery, while the North sought to
  restrict its spread.

39
Second Inaugural

• Though Lincoln takes a stance of non-judgment, he
  makes it blatantly clear that the North is
  morally superior to the insurgents of the
  South.
• Lincoln seemed to realize that the mere cause of
  the Union was insufficient to justify the
  sacrifices of so many, and thus he turned to
  slavery as the sole cause of the war. Perhaps
  this provided more internal justification than it
  did external.

40
Rhetorical Points

• Across all three speeches, Lincoln seems to move
  from minimizing the importance of the issues at
  hand to highlighting the struggles and moral
  dilemmas of the country at war.
• He moves, respectively, from the basis of the
  principles of the constitution, to the views of
  the Declaration of Independence, to more
  personal, moral principles.
• Equality and Justice instilled in people