Memorial pt. 2
Because it absolutely moves you.
Executive Mansion, Washington
November 21, 1864
Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln
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Talking Salmons 
all I can say is wow. there are no words for how I felt while reading this.
Such eloquency from the Chief Executive….imagine.
Jet: Ha, seriously!
There was this stand-up act I saw one time where this guy talked about how far we’ve removed ourselves from eloquent writing.
He talked about how he thought it was hilarious that all of these “barely educated” common Civil War soldiers would write back to their loved ones in these beautiful poetic letters…”My dearest Sarah, how my heart aches at the absence of your smile…” and now we are more at the level of…”Dear Sarah, don’t f*ck nobody.”
Has a point, really.