Lincoln Ami's SOA Lincoln Quote of the Day

A difficulty with selecting Lincoln quotes is that his words are usually well chosen for their purpose and therefore are more powerful in context than when extracted as an isolated quote. Nevertheless, I offer this, from Lincoln's first Inaugural Address:

By the frame of the government under which we live, this same people have wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief; and have, with equal wisdom, provided for the return of that little to their own hands at very short intervals. While the people retain their virtue, and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government, in the short space of four years.​

Confederates weren't convinced by Lincoln's first Inaugural Address, but that's not due to any fault in Lincoln's logic or rhetorical power.
 
The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves -- in their separate, and individual capacities.
--July 1, 1854 [?] Fragment on Government
 
I don't believe in a law to prevent a man from getting rich; it would do more harm than good. So while we do not propose any war upon capital, we do wish to allow the humblest man an equal chance to get rich with everybody else.
--March 6, 1860 Speech at New Haven, Connecticut
 
"I have come to the conclusion never again to think of marrying, and for this reason, I can never be satisfied with anyone who would be blockhead enough to have me."
 
"And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons." January 1, 1863 Emancipation Proclamation
 
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As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy.
--ca. August 1, 1858 Fragment on Democracy
 
"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens."
kittens_1687258c-1yis42q.jpg
 
"Well, I wish some of you would tell me the brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals."
 
Don’t interfere with anything in the constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”- Speech at Kalmazoo, Michigan August 27, 1856
 
In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free — honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of earth.”- Message to Congress, December 1, 1862
 
The Autocrat of all the Russias will resign his crown, and proclaim his subjects free republicans sooner than will our American masters voluntarily give up their slaves.”- Letter to George Robertson, August 15, 1855
 
I am not ashamed to confess that twenty-five years ago I was a hired laborer, mauling rails, at work on a flatboat – just what might happen to any poor man’s son. I want every man to have a chance.”- Speech at New Haven, March 6, 1860
 
It is not merely for to-day, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children’s children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives.”- Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-sixth Ohio Regiment, August 22, 1864
 
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