Tag Archives: lincoln

Eloquence and Depth

Here is a sentence unsurpassed in American historical writing for its poetic power and its intimations of moral and philosophic depth: “No political contest in history was more exclusively or passionately concerned with the character of the beliefs in which the souls of men were to abide.” The author was Claremont professor Harry Jaffa.  The source […]

Government for the People

Before we say goodbye to February and our bicentennial celebration of Lincoln’s birth, I wanted to post this piece of magnificence — a reminder that great communication comes in many forms. Thank you Maira Kalman!

Berns on Lincoln

Walter Berns — always thoughtful, eloquent, and worth the read — reflects in today’s Wall Street Journal on why Lincoln is our greatest public hero. He reminds us that history was not always (or even mostly) moving in Lincoln’s direction at the time he led the country, and that, time and again, Lincoln stood alone. […]

Answering a British Critic

Last week, a distinguished British blogger took issue with a January 19th posting in which I said that, “Inaugural addresses invariably remind us of America’s historically unmatched commitment to popular sovereignty and individual liberty…”  I’d like to respond. The blogger was Max Atkinson and his challenge is here. As he wrote: My point is not […]