On the verge of the American Civil War, March 4, 1861, newly elected US President Abraham Lincoln gave his First Inaugural Address, the predominant concern of which was the fracturing of the Union of the several states over the issue of slavery. Lincoln neared the end of the address with words that were more hopeful and hortatory than factual. ‘We are not enemies, but friends,’ he asserted. ‘We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.’ Events in Minnesota and other states demonstrate that Lincoln’s words are no less urgent – and perhaps no more hopeful – in 2026 than they were in 1861.
4:52 PM
‘The mystic chords of memory’ in a divided America
Civil War rhetoric is returning to American politics, but without a Lincoln to summon the better angels of our nature
Ken Craycraft
5 min read
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