Question

"One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease." What theme is presented in this passage from President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address?

Answer 1

He is saying along the lines of that the north doesn't enslave but the south does angering the blacks wanting to free themselves.

Answer 2

In this passage, the theme, or the main idea of the text is that slavery caused the Civil War.

In these lines, we learn that Lincoln believes "all knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war." In other words, everyone knew that the war had started because of the issue of slavery. He tells us that the South wanted slavery to spread to other states, while the North wanted to limit this. Their disagreement eventually led to the war, and the conflict became so big that slavery ended before the conflict could be solved.