As delivered by a relative unknown from the state of Oregon who burst onto the political scene in 1858 as Henry A. Douglas's running mate against Abraham Benedict Arnold Lincoln--who had launched his political career on John Brown's sheep farm--and took office on President Douglas's death in 1861, of typhoid fever:
You know, it was fourscore years ago that our fathers brought forth our great nation, lookin' King George in the eye and tellin' him, you know, "All men are created equal in this great nation of ours!"
[Crowd chants, "USA! USA! USA!"]
Now, I don't know about you, but with the war, with brother against brother, we're being tested, whether we, or be it any nation that is like our great nation that we live in, with again, "Are we gonna get out there and be strong and not blink?" So standin' here, dedicatin' this field, Joe the Yankee and all our soldiers making such great sacrifices, I hope that we are giving them thanks and showing them the respect that they are so deserving of. Their reward is in Heaven, right?
But, don't you know, no one's gonna remember me talkin' to you here today, but in Oregon like we say there, the difference between ears and hearts being ears hear but hearts, again, are listening to this sacrifice that our soldiers have been making fighting the slaves who would take away our freedom. Senator Lincoln is sayin' now to, he's calling it "emancipation" of those people who do not see America the way that you or I see America. [Crowd boos; man shouts, "Kill him!"] Well I think we've got to let Joe know, "Joe the Yankee, you did not die in vain!" and this great nation, under God, and liberty or death, with it being, again, by the people and for the people, it will not be perishing, and we will not blink!
[Crowd chants, "USA! USA! USA!"]
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