His Springfield Farewell Address
Lincoln
It was on the morning of February 11,
1861, that
the President-elect, together with his family and
a small party of friends, bade adieu to the city
of Springfield, which, alas! he was never to see
again.
A large throng of Springfield citizens
assembled at the railway station to see the departure,
and before the train left Mr. Lincoln addressed them
in the following words:
"MY FRIENDS - No one, not in my
position, can appreciate the sadness I feel at this parting.
To this people I owe all that I am. Here I have lived
more than a quarter of a century - here my
children were born, and here one of them lies buried.
I know not how soon I shall see you again. A
duty devolves upon me which is, perhaps, greater
than that which has devolved upon any other
man since the days of Washington. He never
would have succeeded except by the aid of Divine
Providence, upon which he at all times relied.
I feel that I cannot succeed without the same
Divine aid which sustained him, and on the same
Almighty Being I place my reliance for support -
and I hope you, my friends, will all pray that
I may receive that Divine assistance, without
which I cannot succeed, but with which success
is certain. Again I bid you an affectionate farewell." |