What did Lincoln mean when he told his speech in 1873 about the Civil War(only for the people that know it).?

Question

When he said "When shall we excpet the approach of danger? Shall some transatlatic giant step the Earth and crush us in a single blow? Never!.....

Answer 1

Lincoln was killed in 1865

Answer 2

I don't think your date is right but what he did say was this. . .

"When shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some transatlantic giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever, or die by suicide."

In the first part he is talking about how the dangers to our nation are internal not foreign. Given that we were at war with ourselves at this point it is obvious that our country's threats were internal. He is also stating at the end that it is better that the nation not survive than to be split apart and continue the abmoniation of slavery. . ."free men will live forever, or die by suicide."

Pretty powerful stuff. I can't find any references on the web to this but I clearly remember it from multiple semesters of American History and Politics in college.

Good luck. Post more info if I didn't answer this correctly.

Answer 3

Abraham Lincoln
January 27, 1838
Address to the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.

****The above is the paragraph after your quote which is below.
Lincoln was stating that the only enemy we faced was ourselves.

How, then, shall we perform it? At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a Trial of a thousand years.

Answer 4

Lincoln was gay, he would have a squeaky voice and would write letters to his friend saying "thank you for being my friend" and some other gay stuff. lol