I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
The legal right of the Southern people to reclaim their fugitives I have constantly admitted. The legal right of Congress to interfere with their institution in the states, I have constantly denied.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lincoln acknowledged the Southern states' rights while opposing federal interference in their institutions.
In this quote, Abraham Lincoln expresses a nuanced view of the rights of Southern people concerning their escaped slaves, acknowledging their legal right to reclaim them. He contrasts this with his firm belief that Congress should not intervene in the institution of slavery within the states, highlighting the complex tensions between state rights and federal authority during his time.
Themes
SlaveryLawStates' RightsFederalismLincoln
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a debate about states' rights and federal intervention.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
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Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
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For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
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And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
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