“With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
- February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865
- American
- Politician, lawyer
- As the 16th President of the United States, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation and led the Civil War to maintain the unity of the nation.
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Quote
“With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
Explanation
This quote comes from Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address, delivered on March 4, 1865, as the Civil War was nearing its end. Lincoln calls for reconciliation and healing after years of brutal conflict. By using the phrase “With malice toward none,” he stresses the importance of not seeking revenge or harboring ill will against the South, even though they fought for the continuation of slavery. The message is one of compassion and forgiveness, urging Americans to approach the task of reconstruction with a spirit of generosity and unity.
The historical context is critical here: Lincoln is speaking to a nation divided by war, but with the Confederacy in retreat and the Union on the brink of victory. The country had been torn apart by the issue of slavery, and Lincoln’s address came just weeks before General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. Lincoln’s words reflect his belief that the Union should not only win the war but also find a way to bring the country back together. His call to “bind up the nation’s wounds” underscores his desire for peace and restoration, rather than punishment or division, as the war was drawing to a close.
This quote remains relevant in modern contexts of national division and civil conflict, reminding us that, even after the most bitter of conflicts, the path to healing and unity is found in forgiveness, charity, and a commitment to doing what is right. It is a call to focus not on the past wrongs, but on the future of a united nation. In today’s world, where political polarization and social divisions are often pronounced, Lincoln’s call for “charity for all” and “firmness in the right” provides a model for moving forward with compassion, justice, and a focus on the common good.
