Lincoln: on Binding Up the Nation’s Wounds

In early March of 1865 the nation was not only bitterly divided, it was still at war…with itself. Over 630,000 Americans in uniform would die from battle, (about half of the total from all of America’s wars to the present) and over 1,000,000 more would become war casualties. In 2016 I do not believe it possible to grasp the magnitude of the division or of the overall toll of four years of war that Abraham Lincoln was faced with resolving. Today, by population, the proportional loss of uniformed alone would be 6,300,000 killed and 10,000,000 casualties, truly unimaginable!

The recent presidential election has demonstrated that we are divided as a nation on certain issues of public policy, however, they pale in magnitude to those faced by Lincoln. Perhaps we can gain some perspective and valuable insight from Lincoln’s approach on a path to unity rather than endless dwelling on “disunity”.

With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan---to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with nations. Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865

This above quote is the last paragraph from Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address a speech, of about 600 words, that has been widely acknowledged as one of the most remarkable in American history. At the time, one newspaper published this about it, “…should have for the nation and the statesmen he left behind him something of a sacred and almost prophetic character.”

A few lines just before this last paragraph are these words, “Fondly do we hope---fervently do we pray---that this scourge of war may speedily pass away.” Amazingly, negotiations for the cessation of hostilities were begun within 30 days and the surrender was consummated on 9 April.

Lincoln, as President, had set the tone for healing the nation in 1863 with his Plan for Reconstruction. Though Andrew Johnson, his successor, opposed much of the spirit of Lincoln’s Plan it was by and large completed over the next ten years. Remarkably, there were no political trials for treason. The rapid ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments granted freedom and citizenship for the 3.9 million slaves and voting rights for the freed males. Finally, all of the states were back in the Union within one year except Texas. Through the many challenges of Reconstruction, the spirit of Lincoln lived on to bind up the nation’s wounds.

What if we were to begin to advance the spirit of Lincoln’s plan now, “with malice towards no American citizen” as a governing attitude? Even though a bit radical, what if “charity for all” and even, “a firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right” were a stated policy? And what if we were to strive, as a people, to finish the work of caring for others, to bind up the wounds of our nation, and of our cities and communities? Just imagine what our national life, our city and community life and ‘with nations’ could be transformed into! WHAT IF?

Barney Barnes, Summerville, SC, 11-17-2016