Rhetoric Major Paper

Kaitlin Spear
On March 4th, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln gave his first Inaugural Address after
being sworn in. By the end of the previous year, many southern states had officially seceded
from the Union and just preceding Lincolns Inauguration, The Confederate States of America
were formed (1996). In writing his speech, it was imperative that Lincoln got his point across
without making it sound as though the United States was crumbling due to the actions of the
southern states, A.K.A: slavery and secession. With the help of various documents such as
Andrew Jacksons Nullification Proclamation and the Constitution, he was very strategic in
composing his speech; he knew over half of the country did not want him elected in the first
place. Yet due to the Electoral College, here he was (2010). Lincoln provides valid logical
arguments in order to tell the people what his plan of action was as opposed to appealing to their
emotions or his own credibility. Lincoln chose to use Aristotles artistic proof, logos, to establish
the fact that secession from the Union was not possible and appease both the North and the South
under his unwanted administration.
One section of Lincolns address where his use of logos is prevalent occurs when he
refers to secession as a form of anarchy. In section 25.1, he states, Plainly, the central idea of
secession, is the essence of anarchy. A majority, held in restraint by constitutional checks and
limitations, and always changing easily, with deliberate changes of popular opinions and
sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people. Whoever rejects it, does, of necessity, fly
to anarchy or to despotism. Lincoln explains that secession is one method in which the people
choose to protest the national government that will lead to anarchy, if not considered anarchy in
and of its self (Zarefsky, 2012). By establishing that secession, by definition, can be considered a

Rhetoric Major Paper

Kaitlin Spear
form of anarchy, President Lincoln is able to prove that secession is not the best or moral
solution to the social issues the United States was facing at the time.
The second and most prevalent use of logos in Lincolns speech is in section 15.1 when
he is elaborating on the history of the Union and the fact that it came before our country and our
constitution. Seceded states believed they could reclaim sovereignty at any time because they
thought they helped to create the Union, however, Lincoln argues that they did not. Lincoln
makes the point that the Union is, in fact, older than the United States and the Constitution. The
address proclaims, It was formed in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774And finally, in
1787, one of the declared objects for ordaining and establishing the Constitution, was to form a
more perfect union. But if destruction of the Union, by one, or by a part only, of the States, be
lawfully possible, the Union is less perfect than before the Constitution, having lost the vital
element of perpetuity. He argued that it was actually founded in 1774 when the British colonies
were operating under the Articles of Association. Lincoln proves the Union is older by
suggesting that it actually created the States at the Second Continental Congress when the
founding fathers established their right to be states. To convince the people that the Union was
older than the Constitution he reminds them that this document refers to forming a more perfect
Union which would imply that it was already established and that it needed to be improved.
Although he made an effort to say that while the Union did need to be improved, it needed to be
done via the methods permitted in the U.S. Constitutionnot with secession or revolution
(Zarefsky, 2012). By stating that the Constitution makes reference to the Union needing to be
improved and reminding his audience that it was constructed in 1774 (two years before the
United States became an official country), Lincoln successfully and logically proves that seceded

Rhetoric Major Paper

Kaitlin Spear
states will not be able to leave and/or rejoin on their own terms. They did not actually take part in
forming the Union and because of what the Constitution says about it, no state has the authority
to legally secede from the Union on its own.
While this example of logos may not be the strongest one, it is the most obvious and selfexplanatory, which is why it makes sense that Lincoln brought it up in the address. Secession
from the Union in the United States of America was physically impossible. The president uses
the concept of metaphor to logically explain this relationship to U.S. citizens. The tenor-vehicle
relationship is the Union is marriage. The Union is the tenor while marriage is the vehicle. He
says, A husband and wife may be divorced, and go out of the presence, and beyond the reach of
each other; but the different parts of our country cannot do this. They cannot but remain face to
face; and intercourse, either amicable or hostile, must continue between them. This quote from
the speech enforces Lakoffs and Johnsons idea that metaphors are partial, not total. Lincoln
uses this metaphor to demonstrate how the Union is a marriage of all the states working together
to better the relationships between them, but a husband and wife are able to physically separate
and function completely on their own. Because the states are geographically bound to one
another, secession is will not ever be successful; there will still need to be communication
amongst all neighboring states, at least. Therefore, with the use of partial metaphor, President
Lincoln provides logical reason as to how physical limitations will prevent total secession.
With the context and history of the United States that corresponds to the issues addressed
in Lincolns Inaugural speech, it is clear to see that secession from the Union was not practical.
Lincolns audience and readers today should be able to see why seceding from the government
would not benefit either party in the long run. His use of logos proved to be the best method in

Rhetoric Major Paper

Kaitlin Spear
that he could successfully convince his audience that seceding from the Union is illogical
without placing blame on those states that were considering it, which, in turn, changed many
perspectives of the newly elected president.