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President Abraham Lincoln's Last Public Speech Essay

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“We must simply begin with, and mould from, disorganized and discordant elements” (Lincoln, Last Public Speech)
Two days after the surrender of General E. Lee, thus ending the Civil War, on April 11, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln made his last speech on the balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C. People expected and wanted a victory speech, but Lincoln delivered a speech about peace. The crowds were silent when they heard this speech. He wanted to restore and strengthen the nation with the emancipated slaves and their old owners. This was his first public speaking about being anti-slavery, and his concerns about having an anti-African society. This speech was meant to persuade instead of inspire the listeners. He focused on the Reconstruction of the United States. Most of his speech was comprised of ways to prompt Congress to let Louisiana back into the Union. He also touched upon General Grant …show more content…

Lincoln discussed Louisiana’s free-state government. He said they Louisiana would play a substantial role in the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment. It was called the Constitution of 1864. This new document eradicated slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation, which was given on September 22, 1863, only applied to the land that the Union did not control. Slavery still took place in the thirteen parishes of Louisiana that the Union controlled.
The topics of this speech angered many. The new constitution forced the state legislature to allow African American men to vote. African American men who fought for the Union in the Civil War, owned property or land, or were able to read and write were permitted to vote. Women were excluded from these rights. The Constitution of 1864 let children in the ages of six to eighteen have a free public education. Lincoln applauded Louisiana for extending this right to both races. Read the full speech

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