Abraham Lincoln was arguing that he had indication of making changes to slavery of which it already existed, or to any laws that existed before him, but I believe his whole purpose was to keep the U.S together as a whole. He makes it clear that the North and South to follow the Constitutional law without violence or war. President Lincoln United States Lincoln
2. How does the other appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos with their arguments?
He was making it clear that he didn’t want to change laws, but to govern the law. You can since his urgency on making things right. Pathos and ethos is what it sounds like. Its makes since that he wants to get things in order to help the nation. He didn’t want to make any drastic changes, because that probably would have made a negative impact for then a positive.
3. What is the historical significance/relevance of this document?
I think he was giving a blue print of what he wanted to do as president. He was laying the foundation down for change. Not everyone would agree of course, but he was off to a good start.
4. Do you find the authors argument convincing? Why or why not?
Very convincing, he believed in the constitution. Even though the South reneged, he had all the good attentions of setting them straight. People will eventually do what they want. I think it was written well and he made great points.
Thank you for your post! Lincoln’s presidency was really welcomed with crisis—as you said, he was faced with issues that stemmed from slavery like the impending civil war and the preservation of the union. I believe, though, that he was reassuring his public that they did not have any cause for fears, as he did not intend to interfere with existing slavery laws. I think that, as a Republican (a professed proponent of abolitionism) his argument lies mainly on proving that his personal stance on the issue will not influence how he performs his duties; like you said, he assured his public that he would uphold the laws and not change it. To prove this, he has pointed to the Constitution, his previous speeches, and, on the issue of the union, documents that sanctified it.
ReplyDeleteTo prove my position, I have summarized the important points that support this:
First on his agenda, Lincoln brought up the topic of the South’s fear regarding the endangerment to “[their] property and their peace and personal security.” He assured them that the “accession of a Republican Administration” does not pose “any reasonable cause for such apprehension.” He added that, as evident in his previous speeches, “[He has] no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists.” To support this statement, Lincoln reiterated lines from a previous speech; wherein, he stated that each State has the right to regulate and manage its own domestic affairs free from coercion from other states or the federal government. This, he said, “is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabric depend….”
On the secession, Lincoln stated that as the supreme law of the land, the Constitution is designed “to form a more perfect union.” Even if the Union was interpreted as a simple contract, which it is not, it cannot be legally cancelled without all the parties’ agreement. He added that, the perpetuity of the Union is “confirmed by the history of the Union itself” being that it is older than the Constitution. The sanctity of the Union evolved from the Articles of Association of 1774, “matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776,” further progressed by the Articles of Confederation in 1778, and the establishment of the Constitution in 1787 was aimed at perfecting this union. Hence, “no State upon its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the Union….” The act of secession, then, is illegal and “that acts of violence…against the authority of the United States” are regarded as “insurrectionary or revolutionary.” He also pointed that a precedent springs forth from this secession in that, should a minority of them disagree to what the majority believes in, they could also secede, “which in turn will divide and ruin them.” He added that, with the power the Constitution vested on him, he would execute the laws of the union faithfully. Lincoln guaranteed that he would uphold these laws without violence, bloodshed or abuse.
Finally, the patriotic Lincoln appealed to his public’s emotions on the issue of civil war, and asked that they remain friends and not be enemies. He reminded them of how a common interest of breaking free from Great Britain has united them, and that the “mystic chords of [this] memory… will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched… by the better angels of…nature.”