Lincoln, the American

Lincoln was above all a great American. Indeed, it was that same poet of yours, whom I have already quoted, who said of him—“new birth of our new soil, the first American.”

All his life he hated slavery, but he loved his country more. He accepted battle not to free the slave but to save the Union. With sad heart, but with steadfast courage, he faced the greatest war the world had ever seen to keep the flag of his country—and not of the world—flying in the sky.