The Presidential train traveled east from Springfield, IL, on its way to Washington, D.C, carrying president-elect Abraham Lincoln; the first time that hundreds of thousands of people would have the opportunity to see a President of the United States, and perhaps to hear him speak. But, although speaking at the many stops of the 13-day journey, Lincoln left many of his listeners unimpressed. Then he reached the one free state, New Jersey, termed the northern-most southern state, (a term actually accepted!) whose popular vote he had not captured and had to split the Electoral votes with Sen. Douglas, 4-3.
Now speaking in two separate speeches, one before the NJ Senate and the other before the NJ Assembly, Lincoln in Trenton now spoke powerfully, evoking the spirit of George Washington, crossing the Delaware River, the battle with the Hessians and the hardships they endured. And then continued on in the same spirit to Philadelphia, evoking at Independence Hall, the Declaration of Independence.
This talk will address two central questions. In this 250th anniversary of American independence, how did Lincoln make use of our revolutionary heritage to advance the cause of Union?
Presented by RICHARD SCHWARTZ, Author and Historian
Richard Schwartz is a former high school history teacher. He is the author of The Prairies on Fire: Lincoln Debates Douglas, 1858. He writes the Substack newsletter Common Sentences. Ed. Note: Schwartz has presented Lincoln lectures before the NJCWRT several times, and I can state This is probably the best Lincoln lecture you will hear. (How’s that for going out a limb?)
This program is presented on Zoom as a public service by the North Jersey Civil War Round Table.
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