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
No organic law can ever be framed with a provision specifically applicable to every question which may occur in practical administration. .. No foresight can anticipate nor any document of reasonable length contain express provisions for all possible questions.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Governance cannot predict every possible scenario that may arise, and thus laws will always have limitations.
This quote by Abraham Lincoln highlights the inherent limitations of any legal framework. While laws are essential for governance, they cannot cover every conceivable situation that may arise in practical administration. This underscores the importance of flexibility, interpretation, and the need for wise judgment in law enforcement and governance, as no document can foresee all challenges or questions that occur in a dynamic society.
Themes
LawGovernanceAdministrationLimitationFlexibility
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion on the necessity of judicial discretion in court cases.
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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