Abraham Lincoln began his first term as President of country that was quickly coming apart. On the day he gave his inauguration speech, seven states of the deep south had already passed ordinances of secession. The remaining four border states (Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolonia, and Tennessee) were ready to secede, but wanted to hear what the new President would say. Lincoln's speech did not sway those states, even though Lincoln urged restraint, reconciliation and argued that secession was illogical, unconstitutional and against the best interests of both north and south.
Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration speech focuses closely on the unionist view of secession and begs the south to reconsider tearing apart a country rich in common traditions and history. Lincoln's passion for the union and his lawyer's precise reasoning are apparent throughout the speech. He states his case clearly and warns that the blame for civil war will fall on the South should war come. Southerners were not swayed and four years of bloody civil war followed.
