Question

What does Lincoln mean when he says "Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with,or even before,the conflict itself should cease" (lines 30-32)

Answer 1

The main cause of the war was about slavery. There are those who are for slavery and those who are against it. Their belief and interest resulted to the waging of the civil war, Union vs Confederates.

However, slavery was abolished before the war came to its end.

The 13th amendment which abolished slavery was passed on January 31, 1865.
The Civil war ended on May 9, 1865. More than 3 months after the passing of the 13th amendment.

Answer 2

Mr. Abraham Lincoln became the United States' 16th president in 1861, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy in 1863.

The meaning of statement is In the context of the war, Lincoln said that the Powerful evoked Republicans pre war rhetoric about the slave power. To say that slavery was the cause placed responsibility for the bloodshed on the south. Then Lincoln added simply and the war came seemingly avoiding the assignment of blame. The war, Lincoln continued had had unanticipated consequences:

" Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before, the conflict itself should cease".