亞伯拉罕‧林肯 (Abraham Lincoln) 於1861年3月4日就職總統

當他在撰寫就職演說時，為了尋求指導與抱負，林肯參考了許多歷史文件。但是所有的文件卻都是與國家權力有關。林肯就職的時候，正逢7個南方州脫離聯邦政府，並另行組成南方聯盟。南方聯盟反對新領袖不願將奴隸制度擴展到新加入的各州之政策，因而決定履行他們退出聯邦政府的權力。

林肯將他的演講草稿送給最親密的政治顧問，以尋求意見。即將擔任美國國務卿的威廉‧沙瓦 (William H. Seward) 就對演講稿的最後幾段文字提供了相當多建議，包括最為人知的結論部分：「回憶中迷樣的和弦，將會振奮國家的心志，當我們再一次的碰觸，他們將會成為我們本性中更好的天使。」

For guidance and inspiration while composing his inaugural address, Lincoln turned to historical documents. All of them were concerned with states' rights. Lincoln took office just months after seven Southern states had seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy opposed the new leader's policy against the expansion of slavery to new states and had exercised what they viewed as their right to secede.

Lincoln sent drafts of his speech to his closest political advisers for feedback. William H. Seward, the future secretary of state, contributed ideas to several of the final passages, including the famous conclusion, "The mystic chords of memory . . . will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

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