ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTES III
U.S. President (1809-1865)
Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered--that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
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 lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
Few can be induced to labor exclusively for posterity; and none will do it enthusiastically. Posterity has done nothing for us; and theorize on it as we may, practically we shall do very little for it, unless we are made to think we are at the same time doing something for ourselves.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech, February 22, 1842
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Isham Reavis, November 5, 1855
Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Joshua F. Speed, August 22, 1855
There is not a more fatal error to young lawyers than relying too much on speechmaking. If any one, upon his rare powers of speaking, shall claim an exemption from the drudgery of the law, his case is a failure in advance.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
notes for a lecture, July 1, 1850?
The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech to the Sub-Treasury, Sangamon Journal, March 6, 1840
Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech in the United States House of Representatives, June 20, 1848
I am a patient man--always willing to forgive on the Christian terms of repentance, and also to give ample time for repentance. Still, I must save this government, if possible. What I cannot do, of course I will not do, but it may as well be understood, once for all, that I shall not surrender this game leaving any available card unplayed.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Reverdy Johnson, July 26, 1862
The chief and real purpose of the Republican party is eminently conservative. It proposes nothing save and except to restore this government to its original tone in regard to this element of slavery, and there to maintain it, looking for no further change in reference to it than that which the original framers of the government themselves expected and looked forward to.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech at Columbus, Ohio, September 16, 1859
Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it, "all men are created equal except negroes." When the Know-nothings get control, it will read, "all men are created equal except negroes and foreigners and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty--to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Joshua F. Speed, August 24, 1855
A universal feeling, whether well or ill founded, cannot be safely disregarded.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech, October 16, 1854
Labor is the true standard of value.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech in Pittsburgh, PA, February 15, 1861
It is safe to assert that no government proper ever had a provision in its organic law for its own termination.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861
Let us discard all this quibbling about this man and the other man, this race and that race and the other race being inferior and therefore they must be placed in an inferior position. Let us discard all these things, and unite as one people throughout this land, until we shall once more stand up declaring that all men are created equal.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech to Chicago Abolitionists, July 10, 1858
Whenever the vicious portion of [our] population shall be permitted to gather in bands of hundreds and thousands, and burn churches, ravage and rob provision stores, throw printing-presses into rivers, shoot editors, and hang and burn obnoxious persons at pleasure and with impunity, depend upon it, this government cannot last. By such things the feelings of the best citizens will become more or less alienated from it, and thus it will be left without friends, or with too few, and those few too weak to make their friendship effectual.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
address to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1838
I would save the Union. I would save it in the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored, the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862
Nobody has ever expected me to be President. In my poor, lean, lank face, nobody has ever seen that any cabbages were sprouting out.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech, July 17, 1858
By the fruit the tree is to be known. An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
letter to Williamson Durley, October 3, 1845
Great distance in either time or space has wonderful power to lull and render quiescent the human mind.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
speech, February 22, 1842