“We pass over the silly remarks of the President. For the credit of the nation  we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them and that they shall be no more repeated or thought of.” 

This 1905 artist’s rendering from the Sherwood Lithograph Co. via the Library of Congress depicts President Abraham Lincoln speaking at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery on Nov. 19, 1863. The Gettysburg Address is unusual among great American speeches, in part because the occasion did not call for a great American speech. Lincoln was not giving an inaugural address, a commencement speech or remarks in the immediate aftermath of a shocking national tragedy. “No one was looking for him to make history,” says the Pulitzer Prize winning Civil War historian James McPherson. AP Photo/Sherwood Lithograph Co. via the Library of Congress. SOURCE: Harrisburg Patriot-News

As the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s immortal words at Gettysburg, the Harrisburg Patriot-News published an apology yesterday. We know that the President was not the featured attraction on that November 19 day. We also know that many American newspapers regularly threw barbs at him. On that day, though, most were untouched by his two-minute eloquence.

The St L Louis Beacon describes it this contemporary opinion:

“After Everett finished, President Lincoln stood, pulled out his two pieces of paper, put on his steel rimmed glasses and began reading. Lincoln didn’t speak for two hours. In fact, he only spoke for two MINUTES as his speech was only 10 sentences long (272 words). Even the opening prayer was longer.

“There is no photograph of Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address as the photographer did not have enough time to set up before Lincoln sat down.

“When Lincoln was finished, the throng of 15,000 didn’t know how to react and many in attendance said that the applause following Lincoln’s speech was ‘formal and perfunctory.’ They seemed astonished that the speech was so brief. Lincoln, who feared that the audience was dissatisfied, turned to Ward Lamon, his bodyguard, and confided, ‘It is a flat failure and the people are disappointed.’”

The Harrisburg Patriot-News articles are worth reading.

Retraction of our 1863 editorial calling Gettysburg Address “silly remarks” – editorial

Living on the wrong side of history? The Harrisburg Patriot & Union’s notorious ‘review” of the Gettysburg Address