No one knew at the time of Lincoln's second inaugural address that the civil war was nearing it's end. And at the same time Abe Lincoln's life was also near his end. In just over a month both events would follow through, Abe Lincoln would be dead, and the Civil war would be over. For only a first term Lincoln had a tough four years with a civil war that erupted at the beginning of his term, and continued even through to his second. Honest Abe was not well, finding it hard to sleep, he had also lost his young several two years earlier. So through out the entire speech a somber tone is cast around, from Lincoln's words. Lincoln describes a brief history of the war, how many tried to avoid it, but were unsuccessful, but also there were people out their who were trying to destroy the Union. Also the justification of the Emancipation proclamation, that the government had not every fully intervened with the issues surrounding slavery. Slavery was morally wrong, and that it was just that it was ended. To finish of his speech he talked about when the South joins the Union that it should be welcomed back with open arms. And no grudges should be kept.
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