The address was criticized most severely by a faction of Northern Democrats called the Copperheads (Reid 59-60). The Copperheads were strongly opposed to Lincoln and his prosecution of the Civil War (Archaimbault and Barnhart)
Storrick, the President appeared to be showing signs of having carried the weight of a great burden on his shoulders for some time (Holloway 56). While this interpretation of Storrick's account takes a few liberties based on what was known about Lincoln's health during the war (Evans 1433), there could be little doubt that Lincoln was suffering under the human and financial costs of prosecuting the American Civil War
Gettysburg Address Lincoln's Gettysburg Address The Burden of Leadership On November 19, 1863, approximately five months after the Civil War battle at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln spoke before a crowd of about 15,000 during the dedication ceremony for the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg (Holloway 54)
His mood in Gettysburg when 8-year-old Storrick said good morning was likely one of deep sorrow and incalculable indebtedness to the soldiers and their families. This sentiment could be heard in the words "… we cannot hallow, this ground -- The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it & #8230;" (Lincoln)
As commander in chief, each death seemed to weigh on his soul. For example, Lincoln would often seek refuge from the pressures of his presidency in a cottage on the grounds of the Soldier's Home (Pinsker)
If an analysis of the speech's impact is limited to the press, there is no shortage of opinions. The newspapers of the time reacted in predicable ways, along political lines (Reid)
This point is made at both the beginning and end of the address. It was David Willis of Gettysburg who invited the President to travel to Gettysburg and address the widows and orphans personally, in addition to the soldiers still in the field of battle, thereby providing a measure of comfort for those left living and still facing an uncertain future (Schwartz 65)
This point was conveyed by invoking the Declaration of Independence at both the beginning and end of the speech. From Lincoln's perspective, the Declaration of Independence was probably a more morally defensible 'beacon' for those engaged in battle compared to the pro-slavery Constitution (Wiley 127)