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Abraham Lincoln Declaration Of Independence Essay

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When analyzing Abraham Lincoln’s early presidential speeches, his objective to preserve the Union becomes quite apparent. However, we must not overlook Lincoln’s devotion to equality as expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Examining the Address at Independence Hall and the Gettysburg Address reveals Lincoln’s dedication to upholding the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. In reading Lincoln’s early presidential speeches, many view Lincoln’s motivation for abolishing slavery solely as a measure imperative to preserving the Union. However, his intentions run deeper than war-time necessity in that he possesses a profound reverence for the Declaration of Independence and its ideals of equality, that, although not always explicitly …show more content…

In August of 1862, Lincoln wrote a letter to Horace Greeley, an abolitionist editor for the New York Tribune who had previously criticized Lincoln for his lack of progress in regards to emancipation. The belief that Lincoln’s primary war motive was to preserve the Union can be pinpointed in his letter to Horace Greeley. In this letter, Lincoln states “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery” (343). Lincoln is clearly stating that his primary goal in the war is to preserve the Union, not free the slaves. However, in the letter Lincoln also includes his “personal wish that all men everywhere could be free” (343). The Declaration of Independence is not explicitly mentioned in Lincoln’s reply, but his words imply his dedication to the idea of equality, a key philosophy in the Declaration. While not a major theme throughout the letter, the one sentence expressing Lincoln’s personal opinion maintains Lincoln’s dedication to preserving the ideals of the Declaration of Independence as shown by his mention of universal

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