Pennsylvania newspaper retracts 1863 criticism of Gettysburg Address
Patriot-News publishes retraction of Harrisburg predecessor's withering verdict on Abraham Lincoln's 'silly remarks'
Martin Pengelly in New York
Sat 16 Nov 2013 12.20 EST
First published on Sat 16 Nov 2013 12.20 EST
As celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address begin around the US, a Pennsylvania newspaper has issued a retraction of its predecessor's criticism of Abraham Lincoln's speech.
Lincoln delivered the short address (of either 268 or 270 words, depending on which contemporary version is consulted) on 19 November 1863, at the dedication of a national cemetery for those killed in the battle of Gettysburg the previous July. On Tuesday 24 November 1863, the Harrisburg Patriot & Union published a lengthy editorial in which it lamented "the silly remarks of the President" and said: "… for the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them and that they shall be no more repeated or thought of."
The Patriot & Union's descendant, the Patriot-News, retracted those remarks on Thursday, in an editorial cast to echo the words and tone of a speech which became a foundation stone of American democracy.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/16/gettysburg-address-retraction-newspaper-lincoln
