Senator Richard Colburn Delivers Lincoln Day Address To Maryland Senate 2-12-09

On the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, Senator Richard F. Colburn (District 37) delivered a memorable address about the political courage of our 16th President.

Senator Colburn's remarks focused on the unique relationship that Lincoln had with Frederick Douglass, a world-reknown abolitionist who was born on the Eastern Shore near Easton (located within Senator Colburn's currrent senatorial district).

Douglass attended Lincoln's second inaugural address at the Capitol and later attended the inaugural reception at the White House.  Using historical source materials, Colburn highlighted this encounter just  a few weeks before the President's assassination:

WE SEE FOR A MOMENT THESE TWO REMARKABLE MEN STANDING TOGETHER.   LINCOLN KNEW THAT DOUGLASS WOULD SPEAK HIS MIND, JUST AS HE ALWAYS HAD.  “MR. LINCOLN,” DOUGLASS SAID FINALLY, “THAT WAS A SACRED EFFORT”.   LINCOLN’S FACE LIT UP WITH DELIGHT.  “I AM GLAD YOU LIKED IT!” HE REPLIED.   LINCOLN HAD BEEN EAGER TO KNOW WHAT THE ABOLITIONIST THOUGHT OF HIS SPEECH, AND DOUGLASS HAD ASSURED HIM WITH TWO WELL-CHOSEN WORDS.

Visit Senator Colburn's personal page to read the full text of the speech.  (Scroll down to the bottom of the page)