On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil-war. All dreaded it — all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war — seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

Doing some research, we can find the following question: "Which rhetorical element is included in this passage from President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address?

If that is the case, then the correct answer is "pathos." The rhetorical element is included in this passage from President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is pathos.

President Abraham Lincoln used pathos because it is the persuasive approach to convince the audience using emotions. President Lincoln expressed those words during his Second Inaugural Address, trying to create an emotional reaction in his audience, trying to getting their support.

The other two rhetorical approaches are logos and ethos.

Logos is the appeal to logic, the reason. When the speaker tries to convince the audience using arguments. Ethos is an appeal to the reputation and experience of the speaker.