Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Liberty, Democracy, Government
Dear Madam, I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. Yours, very sincerely and respectfully.
—Abraham Lincoln
Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.
—Abraham Lincoln
Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.
—Abraham Lincoln
Towering genius disdains a beaten path … It scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however illustrious. It thirsts for distinction.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Genius
I dream of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Dreams
Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal feeling
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Americans
The land, the earth God gave to man for his home…should never be the possession of any man, corporation, (or) society…any more than the air or water.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Wilderness
When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Thinking
I agree with you, Mr. Chairman, that the working men are the basis of all governments, for the plain reason that they are the more numerous, and as you added that those were the sentiments of the gentlemen present, representing not only the working class, but citizens of other callings than those of the mechanic, I am happy to concur with you in these sentiments, not only of the native born citizens, but also of the Germans and foreigners from other countries.
—Abraham Lincoln
I am exceedingly anxious that this Union, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the original idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty, and of this, his almost chosen people, for perpetuating the object of that great struggle.
—Abraham Lincoln
No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.
—Abraham Lincoln
That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Success, Achievement
Beware of rashness, but with energy, and sleepless vigilance, go forward and give us victories.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Victory
Important principles may and must be inflexible.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Conviction, Principles
Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Dreams
Can treaties be more faithfully enforced between aliens than laws can among friends? Suppose you go to war, you cannot fight always; and when, after much loss on both sides, and no gain on either, you cease fighting, the identical old questions as to terms of intercourse are again upon you.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: War
I destroy my enemy when I make him my friend.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Danger
The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Law
The love of property and consciousness of right and wrong have conflicting places in our organization, which often makes a man’s course seem crooked, his conduct a riddle.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Property
Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Freedom, Arguments, Slavery
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Adversity, Character, Integrity, Power, Society
Has it popular sovereignty not got down as thin as the homeopathic soup that was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death?
—Abraham Lincoln
He reminds me of the man who murdered both his parents, and then when the sentence was about to be pronounced, pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was orphan.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Criminals, Crime, Hypocrisy, Justice
Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought. Let us have faith that right makes might and in that faith let us; to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Faith, Right, Strength, Freedom, Society, Responsibility
The strongest bond of human sympathy, outside of the family relation, should be one uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds. Nor should this lead us to a war upon property, or the owners of property. Property is the fruit of labor; property is desirable; is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus, by example, assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Poverty, Wealth, Role models, Property, Encouragement, Example
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Books, Book
I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Liberty, Equality
I am not concerned that you have fallen—I am concerned that you arise.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Persistence, Perseverance
Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.
—Abraham Lincoln
Topics: Happiness, Feelings, Attitude, Joy, Confidence, Self-reliance
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- James A. Garfield American Head of State
- William McKinley American Head of State
- Thomas Jefferson American Head of State
- Herbert Hoover American Statesman
- Ulysses S. Grant American Head of State
- Richard Nixon American Head of State
- George W. Bush American Head of State
- John Quincy Adams American Head of State
- Calvin Coolidge American Head of State
- Andrew Jackson American Head of State
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