Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address was a surprisingly brief but profound reflection on the meaning of the Civil War that speculated on the purposes of God to help reunite the country. The newly re-elected president sought to unite the American people by interpreting the waning conflict as a divine judgment upon both sides of the war. He believed that a common memory of the war and its impact on slavery, one that viewed God as a key player in the unfolding drama, would help the country move beyond its disagreements "with malice toward none, with charity for all." Lincoln gave a uniquely providential reading of the cause, duration, and consequences of the war in hopes that the duly chastened nation, both North and South, might "achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace."
