Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. . , Establishing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, On March 4, 1865, just weeks before his assassination, President Abraham Lincoln took his second oath of office. In his inaugural address, Lincoln spoke of the need to heal a divided nation. The last paragraph of that speech embodies the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) commitment to all who serve in the United States military., (side quote:), "With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.", In order to "consolidate and coordinate government activities affecting veterans," a new government agency was established in 1930. Today, three VA administrations provide health, benefits, and memorial services to Veterans and their families., (photo captions:), President Lincoln (standing, center) during his second inauguration held on the east front of the U.S. Capitol, March 4, 1865. , On March 6, 1865, photographer Henry F. Warren took the last formal portrait of Lincoln on the south balcony of the White House. Warren - who attended the reception following the inauguration and asked the president if he could take his "likeness" - gained access to the White House through the president's son Tad.