[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 15, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S2187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S DEATH

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it was 150 years ago today--150 years ago 
today--when who is called the last casualty of the Civil War died. He 
was a man who was born in the Presiding Officer's home State of 
Kentucky. He grew up for a part of his life in Indiana but spent his 
formative years in my State of Illinois.
  He was a country lawyer, an unlikely Congressman who, because of a 
political deal, was given a chance to serve in the U.S. House of 
Representatives. He served only 2 years. He brought his family here to 
Washington for that experience.
  They lived just across the street, in a boarding house where the 
Library of Congress now sits. His family did not like Washington in 
those days in the 1840s and returned back to his wife's home in 
Kentucky.
  He stayed out here and served in Congress and liked it. He wanted to 
serve for a longer period of time but was reminded that this was not 
part of the agreement--only 2 years. So he left Washington, went back 
to Springfield, IL, practiced law, but continued to aspire to higher 
office.
  In 1858, he ran for the Senate against a man named Steven Douglas. 
They had historic debates across the State of Illinois. When the votes 
were finally counted, Douglas was the victor, and this man returned to 
the practice of law. Just 2 years later, though, he was elected 
President of the United States.
  He came to Washington at one of the most dangerous times in our 
history. The Civil War had started, and there was a question as to 
whether the Union could survive, whether the United States of America 
would survive. This simple country lawyer from what was considered the 
frontier of America in those days led our Nation during the most 
dangerous moments in our history.
  He watched as more Americans died in that Civil War than in any war 
that we have ever witnessed. He saw a nation bitterly divided. The war 
raged on for years. There were moments--bleak and dark moments--when it 
looked as if the North would fail and the division of the country would 
begin.
  But eventually the North prevailed in a victory that really the 
American people had given so much to achieve. In April of 1865, this 
was a tumultuous period. I commend to all of my colleagues a book 
written by Jay Winik, a Senate staffer entitled ``April 1865,'' if you 
want to get a feel for what it was like in America that month.
  Many things occurred. The second inaugural address of this President 
is one of the most beautiful, touching, and moving speeches ever given 
by a President, where he turned toward the enemy who had fought the 
North for so many years and basically extended an olive branch when 
many others would have done just the opposite. ``With malice toward 
none'' and with ``charity for all,'' he gave that speech right outside 
here--right outside the Senate Chamber on the porch.
  Then, in celebration of the victory of the Union, he and his wife 
attended a play not far from here, at Ford's Theatre. It was there that 
an assassin took his life. So 150 years ago today, Abraham Lincoln, the 
President of the United States, was assassinated. We have learned a lot 
from his life, from his leadership, and we enjoy the blessings of 
liberty and the Union today because that President and the men and 
women who stood by him saved the Union.
  I reflect on this because I come from what is known as Mr. Lincoln's 
hometown of Springfield, IL. I am not an expert on Lincoln. I am just a 
fan, as so many people are, not only across the United States but 
around the world. I hope we can remember him just for a moment today 
and reflect on the need for all of us to extend an olive branch to our 
personal enemies and to our political enemies and try to find how to 
eliminate an enemy by making a friend, as Lincoln said.

                          ____________________