Lincoln on Tolerance and Reconciliation (Special Election Edition)

“Though passion may have strained, it must not break, our bonds of affection.” – Abraham Lincoln in his first Inaugural Address.

I published versions of this article in 2016 and 2018, and now think this updated version may be even more meaningful as we approach the 2020 election. I am worried! I believe the ability to widely disseminate inflammatory and insulting messages on the internet (or on TV) has emboldened some antagonists to be more vicious and has exacerbated conflicts. Cartoonish memes and sound-bites are not constructive dialogue and deepen resentments and divisions; without changing anyone’s mind. Of great concern to me is that some people, from both sides, have questioned someone’s patriotism, ethics, and even their religious faith based solely on their political preference.  Of course, we all see the rancor and divisiveness among our congressional and other political leaders; and both sides are equally to blame.  The vitriolic rhetoric is deafening and I fear that, after this election, those on the fringes of our two political parties will turn to violence no matter what the outcome. Remember, this has happened before in our nation!

 I believe Abraham Lincoln gave us guidance which may provide a starting point for our own reconciliation and healing.

 While the political campaigns in our time have been rough, at least until recently I thought that the campaign rhetoric in the 19th century was even worse. (I am not so sure now!) In his day, Abraham Lincoln was a target of some of the most vile and untrue charges ever aimed at any candidate. To his credit, he rarely responded to such attacks, but when he did, his comments were concise, reasonable, and sometimes humorous. While there was no mass electronic media in the 1800s, newspapers were prevalent and almost always partisan, promoting one candidate and one ideology over others and eviscerating opponents and different political philosophies. Most publishers considered politicians free game in editorials, in articles, and especially in political cartoons.

 Back then, truth was not a journalistic objective as partisanship reigned; and I fear today, in some cases, journalism has returned to that less-than-noble standard.

 In March 1861, Lincoln began his Presidency with his country literally torn apart. The South’s largest newspaper, in Richmond, Virginia, editorialized; “...whether the Potomac is crimson in human gore and Pennsylvania Avenue is paved ten fathoms deep with mangled bodies, the South will never submit to such humiliation and degradation as the Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln.”

Over the preceding decade, a war of words had become a war of secession, but then, in 1861, the unchecked words led to actual Civil War and massive death and destruction.

 Throughout his political career, Lincoln tried to remain above personal enmity and he consistently demonstrated graciousness in defeat and magnanimity in victory. Lincoln’s willingness to try to reconcile political differences, however, began much earlier. For example, in 1838, when he was twenty-nine and an Illinois legislator, he implored several angry colleagues to settle their differences through compromise and said, “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.”

 In 1854 and 1858, Lincoln campaigned to become a U.S. Senator, but he was unsuccessful both times! The day after his defeats, he simply went back to work at his law office and his partner, William Herndon, remarked, “A person could not have known from Mr. Lincoln’s words or demeanor whether he had won or lost.”  But the losses did not keep Lincoln from pressing his ideas for political change; he just maintained a civil dialogue while doing so, and began to build a constituency. It paid off in 1860!

 After he won the election for President in November 1860, Lincoln began to select men to serve in his Cabinet. He put aside the rhetoric of the campaign and offered positions to all three of his Republican opponents for the nomination and also included Democrats in several critical offices. He said, “I am determined to seek the best men for the country, not the best men for Lincoln.”

 On March 4, 1861, Lincoln gave his First Inaugural Address, only two weeks after Jefferson Davis was sworn in as President of the Confederate States of America. In this conflicted setting, Lincoln spoke directly to the people of the South when he said; “I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Those passions may have strained, but must not break, our bonds of affection.” However, his pleas went unanswered and, five weeks later, the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter beginning a four-year Civil War.

 With members of his wife’s family serving on both sides of the War between the States, Lincoln did not hold personal animosity toward those who chose the different path. During the Civil War, on several occasions, Lincoln visited the Washington hospitals which cared for Confederate prisoners. In one famous exchange while visiting wounded Confederate officers, Lincoln said; “If I were to tell you who I am, would any of you shake my hand? I am Abraham Lincoln.” A nearby Confederate officer replied; “Would you shake my hand if you knew I was a Confederate Colonel who has fought against you for four years?” Lincoln replied; “Well, I hope a Confederate Colonel will not refuse me his hand.” The two men shook hands and several others, but certainly not all, also came forward to greet Mr. Lincoln.

 By the time of the Second Inaugural in March 1865, it was clear to most reasonable observers that the war would end soon and the Confederacy would be vanquished. Lincoln directed most of his remarks at that Inauguration to tolerance, reconciliation, and re-union. He urged the citizens of the North to, “be sympathetic to our friends in the South … Let us judge not, that we not be judged.” And he concluded, “With malice toward none, with charity for all ... let us bind up the nation’s wounds,….to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves.”

 To assure that his wishes for generous peace terms for Confederate soldiers and officers were carried out by his military commanders, Lincoln directed, “Let them once surrender and reach their homes…Let them go, officers and all, I want no more bloodshed. I want no one punished; treat them liberally all around.  Just let the boys go home.”

 In the late evening of April 11th,1865, in a short speech from a White House window, Lincoln addressed the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army.  He said, “Let us welcome the Southern states, back into the fold, without divisive argument over their behaviors…” And, he urged the crowd to “embrace our former rivals.”

 Then, at his last Cabinet meeting on the day of his assassination, Lincoln said: “Indeed I hope there will be no persecutions, no bloody work after this war is over. None should expect that I will participate in hanging or killing of these men, even the worst of them. Enough lives have been sacrificed. We must extinguish our resentments if we expect harmony and Union.”  He was referring to people who had sought to destroy the Union and led to a war that cost nearly a million lives. However, forgiveness and reconciliation were still foremost in his mind.

 We live in a wonderful Constitutional Republic. The Founders left us with a pure democratic popular vote process for most local, state, and congressional elections, and an Electoral Process for the selection of our Presidents. We should all vote as our conscience dictates and accept that others will do the same.  

 However, I expect that these next few weeks will be tumultuous, no matter what the election results bring. I sincerely hope that we all can moderate hostile rhetoric and try to reconcile with family and friends. We should not allow political differences to “break our bonds of affection.”  Who knows, maybe we can even be somewhat Lincolnesque and “extinguish our resentments.”