Neutral Language to Avoid Blame
In Lincoln’s speech, he avoids placing blame on either side by choosing words that include both sides. This is shown when Lincoln (1865) stated that “both [sides] read the same Bible, and pray to the same God,” as the President wanted to unite the conflicting sides under a shared set of values (para 6). Lincoln’s careful selection of phrases showed his intention to avoid further escalation of the Civil War.
Promoting Forgiveness and National Unity
President Lincoln used this neutral tone to appease the North and the South and attempt to push them toward forgiveness of each other. It was essential for the nation to move forward as one, leaving the existing hostilities behind. The goal of this speech was to ensure that the proper path toward healing was established, as well as its outcomes accepted by the South (Lincoln, 1865). In his speech, Lincoln expressed his views on the core subject of the Civil War without any signs of aggression, but rather as statements of fact.
Religion as a Moral and Unifying Appeal
Furthermore, Lincoln used religion as a unifying feature shared by both sides to appeal to people’s morals, lessen their desire for further escalation, and make them more agreeable to concluding the conflict. Lincoln (1865) stated that “God gives us to see the right” to appeal to reason among the warring sides and comprehend the necessity of this war’s inevitable outcomes (para. 6).
Christian Tenets as a Basis for Persuasion
The convincing power of this speech relied heavily on religious tenets of Christianity, as Lincoln used them to call for forgiveness, humility in defeat, and humbleness in victory. The President evoked God’s will as the primary cause for this war, which is both a punishment and an opportunity to undo the mistakes of the past. In summary, President Lincoln chose to use neutral statements that did not accuse or praise either side’s achievements directly to avoid causing further rifts within the nation.
Reference
Lincoln, A. (1865). Abraham Lincoln, second inaugural address, Washington, DC, March 4, 1865. House Divided. Web.