Four Score And Seven Years Ago.................

150 years ago today, at a newly opened cemetery near the Gettysburg Battlefield, Abraham Lincoln gave a two minute speech which many consider to be one of the greatest ever given. In this speech Lincoln explained the reasons and effect of the war as well as the cost. Here are the words he spoke on that day so long ago.

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate-we can not hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they fought here have, so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave here the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have not died in vain-that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that, government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.

I will note with disgust that the current resident in the White House does not think that this moment in history is worthy of commemoration or note to his utter shame and dishonor.