Abraham Lincoln

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.

We can succeed only by concert. It is not 'can any of us imagine better?, but 'can we all do better?

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.

I go to assume a task more difficult than that which devolved upon Washington. Unless the great God, who assisted him, shall be with me and aid me, I must fail; but if the same omniscient mind and almighty arm that directed and protected him shall guide and support me, I shall not fail - I shall succeed.

Don't swap horses in crossing a stream.

One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought not to be extended.

In so far as the government lands can be disposed of, I am in favor of cutting up the wild lands into parcels so that every poor man may have a home.

In my view of the present aspect of affairs, there is no need of bloodshed and war. There is no necessity for it. I am not in favor of such a course, and I may say in advance, there will be no blood shed unless it be forced upon the government. The government will not use force unless force is used against it.

I hold that while man exists, it is his duty to improve not only his own condition, but to assist in ameliorating mankind.

The man who could go to Africa and rob her of her children, and then sell them into interminable bondage, with no other motive than that which is furnished by dollars and cents, is so much worse than the most depraved murderer that he can never receive pardon at my hand.

I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back.

Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.

Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.

We live in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read.

Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite

Extemporaneous speaking should be practised [sic] and cultivated. It is the lawyer's avenue to the public. However able and faithful he may be in other respects, people are slow to bring him business if he cannot make a speech. And yet there is not a more fatal error to young lawyers than relying too much on speech-making. 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.

A jury too often has at least one member more ready to hang the panel than to hang the traitor.

Extemporaneous speaking should be practised and cultivated. It is the lawyer's avenue to the public.

I have simply tried to do what seemed best each day, as each day came.

Standing as I do, with my hand upon this staff, and under the folds of the American flag, I ask you to stand by me so long as I stand by it.