Lincoln vs. Lincoln

In both of Lincoln’s inaugural addresses he is mainly speaking of the dilemma the country was in. In his first address he is hoping that through compromise the country can mend the rift between the north and the south. However, shortly after this speech was delivered, the south succeeded from the Union, effectively widening the rift beyond repair. Lincoln’s original warning about conflict between the two parts of the nation was that it would lead to Civil War. By the second inaugural address Civil War was no longer a fear, instead it was a reality. The second address no longer spoke of mending a rift with compromise; it spoke of bringing the south back under control through force. The north must continue fighting the rebels and secure the Union. This is not to say that Lincoln truly wished to punish the south, he wanted the Union to be whole again at any cost. Therefore, at the close of the war, he proposed a 10% Plan. This plan would readmit states under the most lenient of terms and was rejected by Congress. It is clear that in both addresses Lincoln wished to unify the country he had been elected to govern, and in both cases, the rebellious South was standing in his way of doing so.
(left, Lincoln during first term; right, Lincoln during second term)