Thank you Madam President. Ladies and Gentleman of the Senate I rise today to pay tribute to the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.

 

Historians have created the image of Abraham Lincoln that we now honor.  But, even as Lincoln has reached a level of immortality, we tend to forget that he was mortal with all of the greatness and all of the failings that we all share.

 

What do we really know of the man and of this leader?

 

We as Americans all remember the anger, sadness and pain of September 11.  But, in that context, who now can imagine what went through the heart and mind of President Lincoln as he served as Commander in Chief during the Civil War, the four bloodiest years of our nation’s history.

 

I believe the true spirit of Abraham Lincoln as a man and as a leader is embodied in a quote by Joshua Chamberlain.

 

As many of you probably know, especially those who have read "The Killer Angels" or have seen the movie "Gettysburg," Joshua Chamberlain was a Maine school teacher who put down his pencil and paper, left his family and students and will be forever remembered as the commander who held the Union Army’s position on Little Round Top against wave after wave of Confederate attacks during the battle of Gettysburg. Some historians credit this defensive stand as the true turning point of the Civil War.

 

However, this passage I am about to read comes from before all of that.  On October 2, 1862, Lieutenant Colonel Chamberlain and his men of the 20th Maine were encamped in Maryland when they received a visit from President Lincoln.

 

It is important to keep in mind that the fate of the Union was still very much in question in 1862.  In fact, Lincoln’s visit came less than a month after the Battle of Antietam -- the single bloodiest day of the entire war.

 

As we know from history, Abraham Lincoln was a man of deep compassion and thought, and here is how Colonel Chamberlain described his Commander in Chief as he reviewed the troops.  And, I quote…

 

“We could see the deep sadness in his face, and feel the burden on his heart, thinking of his great commission to save this people.” 

 

Colonel Chamberlain, in looking into the eyes of his Commander in Chief, recognized that Lincoln understood the cost that his nation and its people were paying in the name of freedom.

 

It is for good reason that President Lincoln is remembered for his steadfast leadership and calmness under pressure.  His determination brought together a battered nation and gave freedom to those who have never experienced it.  The men and women of this great Commonwealth believed in President Lincoln’s ideals and answered his call of duty. 

 

Pennsylvanians have answered the call of duty at Valley Forge, at Gettysburg, on the beaches of Normandy and today in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

Today, Pennsylvanians are protecting liberty and democracy and are once again giving freedom to those who have not experienced it.

 

And, in this spirit of service the legacy of Abraham Lincoln lives on.

 

This common, humble man, this powerful and compassionate leader, set a high standard for government.  It’s our task especially here in the Senate of Pennsylvania -- to remember his charge to us every time we walk into this chamber.

 

I’d like to think we can all follow the example of Abraham Lincoln, a man who had the common touch, a sense of humor, remarkable dignity, and unfailing humanity.  Abraham Lincoln never quit and through his perseverance saved the union.  

 

As he said, “We resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom, that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth.”

 

Thank you.