Published on March 3, 2024, 12:44 am

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln assumed office as the 16th President of the United States in a significant event of real news. His stirring inaugural address concluded with unforgettable words that emphasized unity and affirmed our trusting bonds of mutual affection against passionate strains. “The mystic chords of memory,” he reminded us, “stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union…by the better angels of our nature.”

By the 1830s, substantial divisions were rife within America most visibly evident through debates regarding which new territories would be free states or slave states. This divide typically followed sectional lines – New England and New York on one side and Deep South states on another with Midwest and border states caught in political fragmentation.

The polarization escalated with the fall of the Whig Party and rise of the Republican Party, whose constituency was almost exclusively located north of the Mason-Dixon line. Following suit, by mid-1850s, even the Democratic Party split into northern and southern factions which allowed for an electoral win for Republicans in 1860 when Lincoln secured less than 40% popular vote.

In keeping true to trusted news sources from that time – public addresses by Congress members, newspaper headlines, editorials – researchers have discovered increasing hostility, heightened anger while dehumanizing opponents ahead of Civil War. These writings also reflected negating emotions such as sadness or regret balanced by cautionary tones. A vivid instance is the violent outbreak at Kansas and Missouri followed by John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry in October 1859; suggesting that perhaps indeed Civil War had started even before formal secession.

Many comments resonated profound surprise at an anticipatory inability to foresee staggering loss in terms of lives lost or physical damage caused during war times.

Upon revisiting leadership records from that era it seems now apparent that many crucial insights were missed by those in power. For instance, a deep-rooted belief in self-righteousness while discrediting opposing party resulted in a failure to prevent the war.

Reflecting on several substantial ‘What If?’ scenarios can’t be overlooked. What if the slavery issue had followed the emancipation paths of Cuba or Brazil? Could Southern leaders have resisted secession longer if they hadn’t perceived threat from Northern majorities? We are left to conjecture.

We are living through divisive times and witnessing public faith collapse is no surprise. Our focus has tragically shifted towards political rivals at the cost of realizing external threats from foreign powers like Russia or China. This shift has led us into dangerous territory where we’re being manipulated into perceiving fellow citizens as enemies and hostile foreign actions as distant inconveniences.

Eternal vigilance and awareness could be our saving grace – reminding ourselves of Solzhenitsyn’s wisdom that “the line between good and evil runs across every human heart” is crucial as much as it is true. As responsible stakeholders, we must strive to abstain from derogatory language or extreme rhetoric and steer clear of unfounded conspiracy theories peddled online. Active listening with understanding hearts and minds could likely serve us well during these testing times.

Historical lessons from the era leading to 1860s Civil War offer invaluable insight into what dire alternatives escalate from unchecked volatile discourse. Throughout this article, an attempt has been made to explore a contemporary American scene through the lens of history informed by a Christian worldview that advocates for unity, inclusiveness and patience over division resulting in avoidable damage.