<P> In a letter to Lincoln written the following day, Everett praised the President for his eloquent and concise speech, saying, "I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes ." Lincoln replied that he was glad to know the speech was not a "total failure". </P> <P> Other public reaction to the speech was divided along partisan lines . The Democratic - leaning Chicago Times observed, "The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States ." In contrast, the Republican - leaning New York Times was complimentary and printed the speech . In Massachusetts, the Springfield Republican also printed the entire speech, calling it "a perfect gem" that was "deep in feeling, compact in thought and expression, and tasteful and elegant in every word and comma". The Republican predicted that Lincoln's brief remarks would "repay further study as the model speech". On the sesquicentennial of the address, The Patriot - News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, formerly the Patriot & Union, retracted its original reaction ("silly remarks" deserving "the veil of oblivion") stating: "Seven score and ten years ago, the forefathers of this media institution brought forth to its audience a judgment so flawed, so tainted by hubris, so lacking in the perspective history would bring, that it cannot remain unaddressed in our archives...the Patriot & Union failed to recognize (the speech's) momentous importance, timeless eloquence, and lasting significance . The Patriot - News regrets the error ." </P> <P> Foreign newspapers also criticized Lincoln's remarks . The Times of London commented: "The ceremony (at Gettysburg) was rendered ludicrous by some of the luckless sallies of that poor President Lincoln ." </P> <P> Congressman Joseph A. Goulden, then an eighteen - year - old school teacher, was present and heard the speech . He served in the United States Marine Corps during the war, and later had a successful career in insurance in Pennsylvania and New York City before entering Congress as a Democrat . In his later life, Goulden was often asked about the speech, since the passage of time made him one of a dwindling number of individuals who had been present for it . He commented on the event and Lincoln's speech in favorable terms, naming Lincoln's address as one of the inspirations for him to enter military service . Goulden's recollections included remarks to the House of Representatives in 1914 . </P>

What type of speech is the gettysburg address