Lincolns Inaugurals, Addresses and Letters | Page 6

address of this kind that Lincoln ever delivered. It might perhaps better
be called an appreciation, and because of its sincerity and deep
sympathy it may be regarded as a model of its kind. Two years later
Lincoln engaged in his first real debate with Douglas on the burning
question of the day, the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. From the
purely literary point of view the Peoria Speech is superior to the
better-known debates of four years later. While it lacks the finish and
poise of the two Inaugurals it is far more imaginative than the Debates.
One of its most striking features is the comparatively large number of
quotations, both from the Bible and from profane writings. Although as
a rule Lincoln quotes sparingly, this one speech contains no fewer than
twelve quotations, seven of these being from the Bible. The only other
speech that equals this one in the number of quotations is the so-called
Lost Speech of 1856, the authenticity of which is doubtful. The very
much shorter Second Inaugural, however, with its four Bible quotations,
has a larger proportionate number. Lincoln's quotations seem to be
suggested emotionally rather than intellectually. This is indicated by
the fact that the most emotional speeches contain the greatest number
of quotations. The first Inaugural, for example, which is in the main a
sober statement of principles, intended to quiet rather than to excite
passion, is four times as long as the emotional Second Inaugural, but
contains only one quotation to the four of the other. We may note in
this connection that almost exactly one-half of the total number of
quotations occurring in Lincoln's writings are taken from the Bible, and
that a large proportion of the profane quotations are from Shakespeare.
Lincoln was also fond of using proverbial sayings, a habit that
emphasized his character as a popular or national writer. For most of
his proverbs are local and many of them are intensely homely.
Quotations of this class occur at all periods of his life, beginning with
the first address, and they are sometimes used in such unexpected
places as official telegrams to officers in the field. Strange to say, the

maxim that is most frequently associated with Lincoln's name cannot
with any certainty be regarded as having been used by him, either as a
quotation or as an original saying, "You can fool all of the people some
of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all
the people all the time."
At the first regular Republican State Convention in Illinois, held at
Bloomington, May 29, 1856, Lincoln delivered an address on the
public issues of the day that roused the enthusiasm of his hearers to
such a degree that the reporters forgot to take notes and therefore failed
to furnish the text to their respective newspapers. In the course of time
it came to be known as the Lost Speech, and such, in the opinion of
many who were present on the occasion, it continued to be. Mr. W. C.
Whitney, a young lawyer from the neighboring town of Champaign,
later prepared a version based upon notes, from which some general
idea of the character of the speech can perhaps be gained.
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates furnish perhaps the best example of this
class of public speaking that is available. Although they were
extempore, as far as the actual language is concerned, they have been
preserved in full. In spite of the informal style appropriate to the
"stump," these discussions of the Dred Scott decision, Popular
Sovereignty, and the other questions suggested by slavery are marked
by a closeness of reasoning and a readiness of retort that show the great
master in the difficult art of debate. These qualities are not confined to
the one speaker, for his opponent was no less adroit and ready. We may
well say in this connection, "there were giants in those days."
Much of Lincoln's success in these historic debates was due to his
intense conviction of the righteousness of the cause for which he was
pleading. As lawyer and political speaker Lincoln always felt the
necessity of believing in his case. He frequently refused to appear in
suits because he could not put his heart into them, and he never
defended a policy from mere party loyalty. Much of Lincoln's success
as a speaker was due to the fact that his hearers felt that they could trust
him. This is simply a new application of the old principle that the chief
qualification for success in oratory is character. In reading a man's

books we may forget his character for the time, but in listening to an
orator we have the man himself constantly before us, and he himself
makes or mars his success.
In