And now on american tv, we continue our special series on speech that defined a presidency this week a look at the 863 gettysburg address. Now it was only 3 minutes in length, but it proclaimed a new birth of freedom and defined Abraham Lincolns legacy in so many ways youll. Hear an actor read the entire address and thats by a discussion on its historical significance. This begins now for a score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield that war. We have to dedicate a portion of that as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate. We cannot consecrate. We cannot hallow. This. The brave men and dead who struggled, have consecrated far above our poor power to add order. The world little note nor long remember we say here. But it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living. Rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which. They who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is for us to be here, dedicate did to the great task remaining before that from these honored dead. We take in grace devotion to that for which they here gave the last measure of devotion that we here highlight resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation under god shall have a new birth freedom, and that god of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. Thank you, john. It is no exact that the gettysburg address has been read or recited millions upon millions of times, and each time it is read or heard. Even now, more than a century and a half after it was written and delivered it still inspires, it still moves us to the core. It still makes us introspective. It still transcends and takes us to new levels of hope and possibility. Many consider the gettysburg address to be Abraham Lincolns greatest. It would be difficult to argue otherwise. You might ask yourselves what he have written that possibly rivaled it. And while you would be good to stand your ground were you to argue your case, the gettysburg address other scholars, lincolns lincoln enthusiasts and armchair historians might argue that lincolns Cooper Union Speech or his second inaugural might be even greater. As probably know, lincolns union speech was delivered about two miles south of here at cooper institute, which is now known as the cooper union. It was a speech which in part launched lincolns political career and the broader national stage. The speech delivered in february of 1860, when our nation was on the brink of civil war brought us the often quoted words let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith led us to the end. Dare to do our duty as we understand it, lincolns second inaugural address, which is engraved at the Lincoln Memorial on the wall opposite the gettysburg address, was delivered in march of 1865, as civil war was nearing its conclusion. It set our nation on a course for postwar reconstruction. As lincoln called upon our ancestors and all us, even to this day, to move forward with malice toward none, with charity for all. He set a tone which was not punitive and vengeful, but rather peaceful and visionary. There is no doubt that lincolns most famous address is the cooper union, second inaugural and gettysburg. Our among his greatest. And in the the debate over which is the greatest becomes more subjective than objective but perhaps what makes the gettysburg address much more frequently quoted, recited or remembered can be attributed to its content. And interestingly enough, its length. It is a 272 word, 2 to 3 minute masterpiece in which lincoln said our nation on a course for a new birth of freedom one that we are still working on to perfect today. Back in 2012, we at the abraham president ial library and museum and foundation were looking for a way to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the gettysburg address. We wanted to do out of the ordinary something special. Naturally, our first thought was to put the document out, display that is enough. But we wanted to take it a step beyond. There are only five copies of the gettysburg address and lincolns own hand. Two of the copies are at the library of congress. Those the two drafts he had written prior to delivering the address. Another four that he wrote post address. Is that university. Another is in the white house, in the lincoln room. And then the other one is the everett copy. And that at our museum and library in springfield, illinois. The our copy of the address was written after. It was the one that was written immediately his delivery of it. And he was requested write it out by edward everett, who was keynote speaker at on that day. And as we probably all remember, he spoke for about two and a half hours to two and a half minutes. Everett asked president lincoln to write it out so that he could put it in a book for to auction off for convalescing soldiers, which lincoln gladly obliged him. When a document is as famous and revered as the gettysburg address, it does seem like putting it on display should be enough. But we came up with the idea of a 272 word challenge. You know, the 272 words is the exact number in the gettysburg address. And while lincoln didnt set out to. 272 words, he didnt say, well now, today im going to write a 272 word masterpiece that will transcend the generations. We thought it was a wonderful way that if we challenged to write their own 272 words, that might become more intimately tied to the address and really understand how difficult it is to be brilliant in 272 words. Let alone be brilliant at any time. So we challenged people. And as part of the challenge, essayists could about Abraham Lincoln gettysburg the gettysburg address or something that some a cause cause related topic that stirred passions. We had no clue kind of response we would receive, but we were hoping to receive enough that we might be able to put some out in a mini display with the gettysburg address, the 150th. But the news of the challenge started to spread we found ourselves doing more than our share of explaining that the point of the project was not to top the gettysburg address or to write as well as president lincoln, but rather to celebrate the man in his words. We first turned to gilder, lehrman, lincoln recipient Harold Holzer to see if he would help us launch the project by writing his own 272 words. And he wrote back an email and and he said, wow, who could be succinct . And then in parentheses, brilliant as Abraham Lincoln. And our answer, of course. Well, harold, no one on the planet except for possibly who live by the tweet and are used to writing far less. But harold wasnt daunted. And in a few days we received actually it almost like a few minutes. We had harolds 272 words, which id like share with you now. His essay was titled long remembered provide the essence of the gettysburg address in 272 words. Quite a challenge. For a while, lincoln used, but two sheets of paper to compose it. Historians have slaughtered entire forests to expound on it. Yet the glittering essence lincolns perhaps americas speech is magnificent economy. Invited to deliver only a few appropriate remarks, lincoln summoned the rhetorical that revolutionized political oratory replaced the traditionally written with a new birth of simplicity and made virtue of brevity. Of course, its oh, i can memorize this length does not begin to explain its enduring. Did it reinvent america as some have claimed . Probably not. Weve come a long way in the quest to complete lincolns unfinished work, but no one can say for certain whether, if he returned to assess his legacy, he might conclude, traveled too fast or too slowly. On the opposite side of the analytical. Was the gettysburg address meant to be more than a subtle declaration of its authors to seek a second term as president , to simply stick to it much to cynical . Then what . In his heart, Abraham Lincoln understood. Gettysburg was a place of death, from which america itself needed to summon rebirth or die as well. Therein lies its genius and relevance. Lincoln made one colossal error in the gettysburg, suggesting the world would little note nor long remember honest abe too modest, maybe even this ingenue was. He wrote his speech with such breathtaking ingenuity he surely meant its a long endure and it has. So that is heralds. 272 words. And when we received it, we thought, well, were on our way. And if we had any doubt that we werent, you know, maybe something, you know, it wouldnt take off. All of a sudden an express mail envelope came to the door and when opening it, we pulled out a piece of white stationery and it was bearing a centered fee figure of an eagle. And it was outlined in blue with four stars descending the nape of its neck. And there was a name also in blue, just under it in big all caps. And it was from jimmy carter. And he had decided he would write his 272 words. Now immediately working at a museum with with very valuable artifacts, we knew that we probably be putting on the white curators gloves, but we were too excited and we just picked it up and reading and id like to share his essay with you now. Its a magnificent, magnificent essay. Bear with me while i get to it. And his was simply called gettysburg address. When i began talks at david between israel and egypt. It soon became obvious that the two leaders were almost completely incompatible. For three days i tried to induce them to negotiate in good faith, but they always diverted into ancient antagonisms. For the last ten days of discussion, i kept them completely apart with them living in separate cabins. As the first sun approached, i tried to think of something that would divert our minds from the middle east and focus our attention, something that was completely removed from our concentrated work. Finally, my wife that we might drive to the nearby civil war site at gettysburg. Yes, we made the necessary travel arrangements for the cabinet officers and Staff Members from the two delegates nations to go in busses. And i rode in the president ial sitting between and sadat. Once there everyone except israeli Prime Minister was thoroughly familiar with the battlefield and what had occurred there. Having studied it in our military schools, i showed them where the georgia artillery had been and recounted the terrible casualties on both sides. I soon noticed that bagan, who had never served in the military was disturbingly aloof. He was a proud man and i was afraid he would be both embarrassed and angry. The group became when the guide announced that we were at the spot of lincolns. After few moments begin, began to recite the words in a clear and strong voice, and we listened with rapt attention. It was my most unforgettable event at a memorial to war. So you can imagine. I we were very moved when we received this and we were touched that he not only chose participate in our project, but from what he wrote we realized that we were probably some of the first people ever to hear that story. Certainly some of the first to ever read it. We knew that immediately. The contents of the essay was of deep historical. And we realized that we were no longer sailing in historys wake, as we usually do at museum because were getting other peoples artifacts that are 150 years old. But rather than in historys wake, we were now making history. And with each document came, we were making history. We ended up getting essays from all the living president s and theyre all in the book. But they are for you to read at another time or another interesting thing about president carters essay was that he typed it himself on his own typewriter. Now, its not just typed it himself. It was on a typewriter. And this was only a year ago. So im his staff must have had a computer. He may even had a computer, but he used a typewriter and it was very clear it was on a typewriter. Which brings me to another aspect of the project. In addition to challenging people to write 272 words, we challenged to walk further in lincolns shoes and handwrite their essays because obviously there were no computers back. In 1863. Some people did it. Others chose type it out and then sign their name to it. But the actual we that the actual act of having handwrite essays out was a challenge in and of itself and for some of our essays said that was actually more stressful than having to compose 272 brilliant words because long when they got to were 253. They made a mistake and theyd have to start writing it from scratch. You know, one person actually said it was a humiliating experience and we got a call one day from general Colin Powells office, and they said, do you mind if general powell prints out his essay by. And we said, well, who we to tell general powell to do . I mean, if he wants to print it out, by all means printed. And they said, well, cursive wasnt over too well. So he printed it. And in a few in a few days, we received Colin Powells essay. And id like to share that with you now. And its in its titled the march must continue in november 2013. Three months after commemorating the 50th anniversary of dr. Martin luther jrs i have a dream speech we commemorated 150th anniversary of president lincolns gettysburg address. A century after lincoln of the unfinished work and that this nation under god shall have a new birth of freedom. It felt dr. King to remind america that the work was not finished and lincolns vision not yet realized for all americans. During that century, we saw the rise of segregation and the fiction that separate but equal could actually be equal. A second civil war was needed. It was a war of protest. It would be a war of ideas, morals and aspirations. It would be a war to make live up to the dreams of forefathers. As lincoln proclaimed in fourscore and seven years ago. Our forefathers brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated the proposition that all men are created equal. Dr. King reaffirmed hopes in his i have a dream speech the gettysburg address. I have a dream have gone down in history as the most inspirational speeches in American History. I am proud of my country and all we have done to realize these visions. Both would be pleased, but not satisfied. Both men assassinated for their beliefs. We are their inheritors. We must do more than commemorate the dates and be warmed by words. We must reach out to those in need so that all can be free. At last. The march must continue. So. No. As you can see, we were very fortunate in receiving essays from some very, very powerful individuals. Essays themselves were powerful. We received essays from people from all walks of life, from high school students. And as i said to us president s, from filmmakers as Steven Spielberg and ken jurists, such as sandra day oconnor, Alan Dershowitz and judith sheindlin, otherwise known as judge judy from corporate leaders, such as Googles Eric Schmidt and caterpillars doug over hillman, poets such as collins and kevin stein. Sailors from the uss Abraham Lincoln. And musical and visual artists such as pete seeger. And annie. Pete seeger sent us the gettysburg address, written out in his own hands. In a different format. And he said, you know, im 94, so im not going to be composing anything right now. But im going to write it out for you. The gettysburg out for you. The way ive helped people over the years learn to recite it. And so thats what he sent us. And annie leibowitz. Sent us. She said, well, you know, im not a writer. I do photograph. So she sent us some photo essays that we included in the book particularly the one of Daniel Chester french, who was the sculptor for the Lincoln Memorial. And she was at his studio. And so she a picture of of the model and thats what we have the book but many of our other essays spoke of their own personal experience pieces and their family heritages and julian bond, the late julian bond, wrote for us an essay reminds us that only a few generations separates us from slavery. And he wrote a very eloquent essay and ill read some of it for you. Only my generation stands between julian bond and human bondage. I am the grandson of a slave. He and his mother were property like chair or a horse. At 15, barely able to read and write. My grandfather his tuition a steer to a rope and walked across to berea college. His was a transfer in generation of black americans born in slavery freed by Abraham Lincoln and determined to make way in freedom. When he graduated college, asked him to deliver the commencemenel school the little rock nine and we have school teachers, its just really wide breadth of different types of. Essays. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Yes. Well, i want to thank everyone. Oh, one more. Oh, sorry. Oh, you know what . Thats a good question. I wish i could tell you. I mean, the question was, i know what the 273rd word was that sam harris took of his essay and. I dont im sorry, but sam, just so you know, he went on to the illinois holocaust and education center. So he went on to do great things. And hes a wonderful man who has joined me on a lot of these. But he lives in illinois and couldnt make the trip. But. But anyway. You so much. Yeah. Thank you, carla. It was wonderful. And youre watching American History tvs special series on speeches that defined presidency. Next, its fdr. 9033 enoggera address and a selection of his world. Herself. Our atonement must consist doing better if allowed the chance we are the relics of a colossal and the deep universe does not care whether we continue to. We alone can care. Where shall we live . Where do we deserve to live . Where we know that place and ourselves. When we reach it. Now. And that was obviously an essay by someone picking something that theyre passionate about. Another person wrote something that theyre passionate about. You know, while robert was contemplating an environmental holocaust, this other person, sam harris, was contemplating moving on from another. And that was the mass genocide perpetrated by adolf hitler and, the nazis during world war two. Sam was born shulamit resnick. He was taken by nazis in 1939 at the age of four, to live in concentration camps. Dublin in chess to hova in poland in, 1945, at the age of. His camp was by the russian army and. Sam and his sister came to america as orphans, having lost their parents and their entire extended family the holocaust. He was by a family in the chicago area, changed his name sam harris, and never looked back as a sophomore in high, he was assigned to write essay the very same essay that sam contributed to the book. A. Amazingly, his essay was 273 words, but one of those words he had put in and you could bet your Bottom Dollar that we went to him said, take that one out. And he did. It was as though it was a lincoln ordained miracle that he ended up with 272 words. So im going to read sams essay. Remember, he wrote this as a 16 year old boy. And also told me that none of his classmates knew his history. So they just knew him as a classmate and didnt know he had gone through. And he and he titled it the best place on earth, america is indeed the best place on earth. Most people born in america may not think of that the same way i do, because all the freedom comes, freedoms come to them as natural as breathing. I being born in europe and through the war, have a different for democracy as being practiced in the u. S. Not until about three and a half years ago did i know what democracy was. Then the day came. I moved to this free country. This was a complete change for me in the way people lived and the language they spoke in all the countries i have been, including poland, birth place, austria, are germany. Did the people move so freely and live in such modern countries . Then still on the harbor ship, the ernie pyle. I stared at the million lights, which the night between the large buildings in our ship on the water there lay a Little Island and which rested the statue of liberty even not knowing yet this huge figure was. I stared at it with great interest. Then i questioned. When i realized what it symbolized that much more, my eyes brightened with freedom and my heart beat like the drums of peace. Now i have lived in this heaven for three and a half years, and i still think of these visions of real human, which all the people, all the world should one day experience. My heart. I should hope, will never let me forget the sight of liberty. My eyes saw on the first night in america. A god, america. That one always gets me. Abraham lincoln, who was a friend to the and other oppressed people, refugees at the time, and immigrants, was obviously most associated with. Ending the civil war in abolishing sea slavery. However one of the many things which made him great was his big picture thinking he was the ultimate multi even though they didnt have that term back then he was was and he he you know in the of the civil war raging on in the slavery question being debated he still had the big vision our nation. He the homestead act which provided land to pioneering settlers settling the western frontier. He passed the Pacific Railroad which actually led to the nailing of the golden spike connecting the east and west coast railroads. He passed the moral land grant act, which created our system of land grant universities in every state. He established the department of agriculture and created our National Banking system. The list of his go on and on. But one of our essayists astrophysicist asked Neil Degrasse tyson, wrote about one of lincolns many lesser known his established man of the National Academy of sciences. Dr. Tysons essay was so well received after it came out in this book that bill actually made a video of it to help encourage americas youth to engage in Scientific Study and exploration. And if youre interested, its available on youtube can take a look at it in your free time. But like to read. Dr. Tysons essay for you now. Its called the lincoln. One and a half centuries ago civil war divided these states of america. Yet in its wake, we would have, as one nation, indivisible during the bloody of the gettysburg address, president chartered the National Academy of sciences, comprised of 50 distinguished american whose task was then as now to advise congress and the executive branch of all the ways the frontier of science may contribute to the health, wealth and security of its residents. As a young nation just four score and seven years old, we had plucked the engineering flute fruits of Industrial Revolution that transformed but americans yet to embrace the meaning of science to society. Now, with more than 2000 members, the National Academy encompasses dozens of fields dreamt of at the time of lincolns charter. Quantum physics discovered in the 1920s, now drives, nearly one third of the worlds wealth forming the basis of our computer revolut Ocean Climate analogy. And as we warm our planet climatology, we may be our only hope to save us from ourselves. During the centennial of its charter, president carter addressed academy membership, noting the range and depth of Scientific Achievement in this room. Consider toots the seedbed of nations future in this the 21st Century Innovations in science and technology. Form the primary engines of our economic growth. While most remember honest aid for war and peace and slavery. Freedom. The time has come to recognize him for setting our nation on course of scientifically enlightened governance meant without which we all may perish from earth. So. A year prior to lincolns of the national of sciences, our president also established the medal of honor. And we were fortunate to have a medal of honor recipient, alan lynch contribute an essay to the book. And when he, in part of his essay, he remarked the greatest honor of my life was being awarded the medal of honor. 63 medals were earned in the battle of gettysburg. Given the honor to take my place alongside such is humbling. I believe i must do my to honor the medal because of what it represents. Lincoln calls on all americans to complete the unfinished work not only of maintaining the union, but of our founding of liberty and equality. These are our National Principles worth defending with our lives. Principles well worth enduring, great to advance. And we had essay from another war veteran who had literally sacrificed or went to war with the idea that she might be sacrificing her life. She literally sacrificed limbs and. Her story is very inspirational. U. S. Representative tammy duckworth. And she writes her her essays entitled greatest treasure barely a month before is. President lincoln defined our obligation to our veterans saying let us strive to finish the work we are in to bind up the nations wounds, to care him who shall have borne the battle. And for his widow and. Americas resource is not our wealth its not military might or mineral deposits. Our greatest treasure is the and women willing to die to defend the nation. War is not fought with nameless but with people. They are our loved ones, our neighbors and friends. Since lexington, concord, our military men and women answered the call. When america, who is willing to lay down their lives for liberty and. They this not just for those they know and love. But also for strangers across the land. That they will never meet. These serve and so do their loved ones. Our military families, time and again, send their beloved to bleed for our nation. Its easy to honor our troops when they deploy. Hold parades when they return. Or celebrate their memory. Few holidays each year. That is not enough. How a nation treats veterans after their service is the true measure of all of us. Whether its health care or employment, we have a covenant to keep our veterans and in the case of veterans homelessness. We are all dishonored. When a veteran must lay their head to rest and the streets. They defended. It begins with lincoln, but it rests with all of us to care for him. Who borne the battle. So as you no doubt realize you know, ive shared in full in part only a handful of the more than 1000 essays that we had received through this project and more we have about 92 more in the book that were published. They all are varied in tone, subject style. What they write about. But theyre all inspired by the. Great emancipator Abraham Lincoln. Im going to share just one last essay and it was written by lincoln. The film lincoln producer Kathy Kennedy kennedy and her essays entitled clarity purpose. And its very good at helping kind of close. Although ill say a few remarks just this. And she writes, we spend much, if not all of our lives in search of our reason for being. And the harder we look, the more the hidden meaning our own existence seems to elude us. Abraham lincoln, on the other hand, had an enviable clarity of purpose that resulted in his many great achievements. He recognized the party to play in American History and wasted no time in accomplishing all he could. Those seemingly insurmountable obstacles were put in his path. His understanding of how fit into his time and place, coupled with his ambition, vision, inner strength, strong moral compass, all always gave him the will to overcome them. But that personal presence we often fail to recognize often comes at serious cost. The response ability to fulfill ones destiny once it has been revealed, is an burden that demands tremendous sacrifice. The cost required of lincoln to save the union put, an end to slavery and preserve the very idea of democracy could not have been higher. It is difficult to imagine that someone would rise to that challenge. It is even more difficult. Imagine the kind of person that would rise so wholly, so selflessly, and with unconditional dedication. It is for that very reason then often the same breath we refer to his story as both an incredible triumph and a terrible tragedy. But because this was exactly who was meant to be and just at the right time, he has left an indelible mark on our history, our country and our lives. And that president Abraham Lincoln will always be. Truly remembered. And just as lincoln looked introspectively and pondered these questions, i now ask each of you, what is your destiny. What is your purpose. What is it that is demanding, tremendous sacrifice. This from you . What is your gettysburg address . And what are your 272 words . Abraham lincoln. Even from the grave still beckons us to the unfinished work so that we and future of americans may enjoy the fruits of a more perfect union. And Abraham Lincoln was and still is a Great American hero. A hero who saw the United States as the last, best hope of earth. He was committed to making america live to the principles espoused by our founding in the declaration of. Our constant. In our bill of rights. He was committed to our nation having. A new birth of freedom. So that government of the people, by the people. For the people would not perish from the earth. He understood that the mighty scourge of war that come upon our nation was just the manifestation of our nations to live up to its own lofty principles. Washington was. The father of our country. But lincoln. Lincoln was the savior. And his story continues be revealed and revered as the russian author leo tolstoy once wrote. The greatness of Napoleon Caesar or washington is only moonlight by the sun of lincoln. His example is and will last thousands of years. He was bigger than his country, bigger all the president s together. Lincoln lived and died a hero. And as a great character he will live as long the world lives. And in the end, i will leave it to william shakespeare, who i would have loved to have 272 words from shakespeare, one of lincolns favorite literary figures, and shakespeare presently said, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he shall make the face heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. And with that i thank you for sharing this with me. I encourage each of you to write your own 272 words. Were still collecting and they would become a permanent part of the archive of Abraham Lincoln president ial library and museum. Theyre all 12 or 1300 of them are there. And yours can be there too. I invite you all to come and visit our Museum Library in springfield, and i thank you again for being here. Evening. Thank you. That was a wonderful presentation. And i. It was a great project. I dont know. I dont know who thought of it, but its its inspiring and hope maybe you. So well get some more of your 272 words from somebody in the new york so working on it so we do we do have time for some questions i think. Does anybody have any questions . We have a microphone in them in the aisle there, if you will. Step and ask your questions. First off, i know i speak for the audience, say thank you for not having john cullum also recite edward everetts remarks. Youre very welcome. We would be here till tomorrow. You mentioned the prime began reciting the address in. Europe and the International Visitors who come to the museum. I mean, everybody would know that lincoln won the civil war and, emancipated the slaves. You find that there because his words were much more specific to this time and this time in his place in the in our history than, for example. Jeffersons in the declaration of independence, which are much more kind of universal apply to people almost any time, any place you find people who come to visit are familiar with lincolns words. Their meaning. Yes we actually receive visitors more than 100 countries annually. They come from five continents and they know of him. They they may not be as with some of his writing as others, but they know the gettysburg address and weve actually have some international in the book like for once former president of poland wrote hundred and 72 words in a week so people do know but when they come to our museum, oftentimes their response is that they didnt quite know his whole story. And when they learn it, they become even more taken with him. So we actually had one woman from south africa who said she actually warned us and said, im going, okay, im just telling you where, im going to scream. Enjoy. When we brought out his hat and sure enough she did. And i mean, people are very moved by him him. You said that he lincoln left two copies of the speech in washington then and then gave edward. Edward one. I thought he rewrote the speech on the train to gettysburg. Is that accurate . No, he actually well he he he probably was writing some of it on the train, but he also stayed in gettysburg the night before and was probably perfecting it that night. But he he you know, he wrote it and afterwards. A member of the press had him for a copy of it and gave it to them because they were going to typeset it, wanted to send it around and person threw that copy out. So thats lost history. And so the very one that he was asked to write out after giving it was the everett receipt. Thank you. Thank you for your question. Would you want to tell us a little bit how many copies were there altogether . There are there are five that exist today written in his own hand. I mean, from a historic standpoint we always wait for the day when someone says, well, nobody knew. I guess what . We have the sixth. And ill just tell you, one day i was invited to home down in florida, said, well, you know, a friend of mine passed away and he had some lincoln related documents wed like to give to you. And he said, could you come down . And i said, well, all sure, you know, absolutely. And we got there and they had it in a hefty bag. All of this like in a hefty plastic bag that they had thrown in a closet and i kept thinking it was thank god nobody threw out over time. Like, you know, somebody when mom cleans out the baseball cards, you know, and it turned out it had two lincoln letters, one of which historians knew of its previous existence, but thought it had been destroyed and didnt know that it was still in existence. So you really never know. There is i hold out hope that theres a sixth copy somewhere in the world no one knows about. Now you there is. Theres one in the lincoln bedroom at the white house. Yes. At cornell university. And two. Two at the library of congress, which were the drafts. And then the first one. And then we have one. Okay. On the Springfield Museum has one. Yes. Okay. Our Springfield Museum is one of only two places that have the gettysburg address, the emancipation proclamation and the 13th amendment, the is the library of congress. Go ahead. Im impressed with Abraham Lincolns political courage in reference to the aftermath of the sioux uprising saying in minnesota in 1862, when hundreds of indians were to death and lincoln reviewed single one of the cases any reduced it to about 3839. And i understand he did this at great Political Risk because the people of minnesota you know that that put upward of general did a lot of controversy and the elections of eight midterm elections of 1862 were coming up. Do you know if he if the Republican Party as a result of that lost the election was in house and senate. Youre educating us tonight i i dont have an answer for that question. I am not a historian. My ph. D. Is not in history, but working where ive worked for the last six years, ive learned a lot. But i would check in that. And if you go into that for you and you give me your name and address, id be happy. Or email. Id be happy to send you. Answer from our lincoln curator. But i can say that throughout his career, lincoln was always for the underdog and and as louise had mentioned, we did an exhibit on lincoln and the and. At one point grand grant had expelled the from the mississippi valley. And when lincoln of it, he immediately rescinded it and said, you know, under no circumstances. So he was always doing things this and he was famous for pardoning, i want to say, just pardoning, but famous for doing exactly. You said he would carefully and thoughtfully read the pardons which is why he had such great empathy and compassion for people. He understood this might have been the 200th, you know, document im reading about pardoning someone, but its the the only one thats important to that family or that individual. And he really took time to determine whether or not he would do these pardons or the actions, any actions that he took. So i thank you. And i encourage you to me your email. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. If i may, ask two separate questions. One. What was the reaction to the gettysburg address the time it was given . And was there a particular moment in American History when it sort of achieved iconic status . And second, is there any accurate description of what lincolns voice sounded . Yes, ill take the first. I the second question first there i have been descriptions. And when Steven Spielberg was putting together, the movie lincoln, they came to our museum and we shared with them not only description of his voice, but of he walked, how he sat. His cadence not just with his walk, but his and our lincoln. Tell me. Because he studied it a lot. Has told me that daniel daylewis is portrayal of lincoln was very good, very spot on from all the things written about him and all the Research Done on him and as far as the gettysburg address, well, obviously its not like today where the minute youve made a speech, its beamed all over the world or as youre making the speech, its beamed. But it was well received and and, you know, case in point was everett, who was saying you said in two and a half words what i couldnt say in two and a half hours, he realized off the bat that that lincoln hit the ball out of the park and lincoln was not one to. I mean, he had a lot of selfdeprecating. One saw woman to accused him of being two faced. And he said if i had two faces would i be wearing this one. So, yes. So clearly i mean he had selfdeprecating humor, but every once in a while knew when he kind of hit it of the park. If. And the gettysburg address was one of them. And so he obliged when people asked him to write it out. Thank. Thank you. Okay. So first question is, where do you send the submissions . Because im going to have all my students submit oh one. This is an assignment. This is wonderful. This is one. Where do you send it . I will give you the address. But you could send them to the abraham president ial email Library Foundation and my is c and my last name, senora wolski. And you can get that at the bottom at a l p as in paul l m is in mary dot org. Okay. So my question is, you mentioned carter. Yes. Right. Did you reach to all the living president s and . General question, how did you determine who to query to do this for posterity . Well, we actually had this we we just said, who wants to write one . We we put it in our magazine. We we advertised it in papers. We sent out press releases. But having said that, there were some people who we felt we absolutely should try to hear. So we wrote to all the president s and we were very fortunate because. You know, the president s dont do all they dont all say, yes, we will all go to this. We will all do that. Its usually a i hate to say it, but the of other president s, other kind of major state events. So we were really to get them. We sent out letters to all the governors, all the states and four of them submitted essays. We sent out. We went to the captain of the uss abraham, which had a crew of 5000. We said, anyone who wants to write an essay and a lot of the sailors wrote. So we picked some and we wrote to a lot of the lincoln scholars because felt it was appropriate or not appropriate, but important to get an idea of what they thought of people whove written about lincoln, done films, about lincoln opinion, but also, you. In our book we have students from little rock central high