Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Edward Everett (1863)
About This Text
Author: Abraham Lincoln
Composed: c.1863 CE
In this letter, Lincoln thanks Edward Everett, the orator who spoke just before Lincoln at the dedication of the soldier’s cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Everett was formerly president of Harvard and governor of Massachusetts who became a pastor and public speaker. At the dedication, Everett spoke for two hours, after which Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address. Soon after, Everett sent Lincoln a note praising the speech. In response, Lincoln offers thanks, noting that he is glad the address was “not entirely a failure.” Rather than dwelling on his own historic address, Lincoln spends most of this letter praising Everett’s speech.