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A private soldier has as much right to justice as a major-general.
Abraham Lincoln
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Justice should be equally accessible to everyone, regardless of rank or status in society.

This quote by Abraham Lincoln emphasizes the fundamental principle of justice that it must be blind to social or military ranks. Lincoln asserts that every individual, whether a lowly private or a high-ranking officer like a major-general, deserves the same level of fairness, rights, and legal protection. This notion reinforces the idea that true equality is a cornerstone of a just society.

Themes

JusticeEqualityRightsSoldierMajor-General

In practice

Example use cases

Discussing the importance of fairness in a community meeting.

More from Abraham Lincoln

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.
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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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