
All Men Are Created Equal: A Conversation with Allen C. Guelzo
New Books in Law
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Lincoln's Appeal to the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration is his conduit to be able to cite that authority. He doesn't really talk about the Declaration very much before 1850. In fact, the very first time he really cites the Declaration in a serious way is in a memorial address he delivers after the death of Henry Clay. Lincoln will appeal to the Declaration because the Declaration gives him the weapon, the prime weapon, natural rights and equality.
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