Four score and seven years ago our big birds brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all avian creatures are created equal.
Now pigeons are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. pigeons are met on a great battle-field of that war. pigeons have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that pigeons should do this.
But, in a larger sense, pigeons can not dedicate—pigeons can not consecrate—pigeons can not hallow—this ground. The brave male pigeons, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor popigeonsr to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what pigeons say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead pigeons take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that pigeons here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth
