Say What Saturday: 155 Years Ago Today - The Last Public Speech from President Abraham Lincoln

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It was a overcast night on Tuesday April 11th of 1865 and people were gathering outside the White House awaiting President Lincoln to speak. Reporter Noah Brooks wrote:

"Outside was a vast sea of faces, illuminated by the lights that burned in the festal array of the White House, and stretching far out into the misty darkness. It was a silent, intent, and perhaps surprised, multitude.” {1}

When Mr. Lincoln stepped out on the second-floor balcony of the North Portico at the White House he is greeted with an enthusiastic reception. Noah Brooks held the lantern that night as President Lincoln delivered what would be his last public address. His son Tad captured the sheets of papers as they fell at his feet.

He began to speak to the multitude gathered.​

“We meet this evening, not in sorrow, but in gladness of heart. The evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond, and the surrender of the principal insurgent army, give hope of a righteous and speedy peace whose joyous expression can not be restrained. In the midst of this, however, He from whom all blessings flow, must not be forgotten.” {1}

It was during this speech Lincoln introduced the topic of reconstruction highlighting the state of Louisiana.​

“Some twelve thousand voters in the heretofore slave-state of Louisiana have sworn allegiance to the Union, assumed to be the rightful political power of the State, held elections, organized a State government, adopted a free-state constitution, giving the benefit of public schools equally to black and white, and empowering the Legislature to confer the elective franchise upon the colored man. Their Legislature has already voted to ratify the constitutional amendment recently passed by Congress, abolishing slavery throughout the nation. These twelve thousand persons are thus fully committed to the Union, and to perpetual freedom in the state--committed to the very things, and nearly all the things the nation wants--and they ask the nations recognition and it's assistance to make good their committal.” {1}

Among the attendees that evening was John Wilkes Booth and to those with him he promised -

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three days later his promise was delivered and a nation was left pick up the pieces.

*

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

Walt Whitman


*



Sources
1. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/last.htm
2. https://www.historynet.com/lincolns-final-appeal-the-last-speech-of-abraham-lincoln.htm
3. https://www.history.com/news/what-lincoln-said-in-his-final-speech
4.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45474/o-captain-my-captain

*The portrait of Abraham Lincoln was taken by Alexander Gardner on February 5, 1865. It is the only print to survive after it was accidentally cracked in the processing and was destroyed. According to the National Portrait Gallery’s photo curator Frank Goodyear this is the last formal portrait of the president before he was assassinated. Ironically the photo of John Wilkes Booth was also taken by Alexander Gardner circa 1865. (Photos - Wikipedia - United States Public Domain)
 
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, once again!

Thank you for such a thoughtful post on the eve of the anniversary of Lincoln's assassination. The drop down quote at the end just helps to bring it all home ... the antagonistic thinking and underhand game playing going on in the background eventually leading to that. And such a poignant image of his son gathering up the pages of his speech as Lincoln made it. Walt Whitman's poem clarifies so much of the sorrow attached to Lincoln's death for much of the nation.

I was very surprised to read of Louisiana's welcome to the idea of reconstruction at such an early point in time, so thank you for adding that as well. I didn't know Lincoln had an opportunity to introduce the idea in this manner.
 
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