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
It is safe to assert that no government proper ever had a provision in its organic law for its own termination.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Governments are designed to perpetuate themselves and rarely include mechanisms for their dissolution.
Abraham Lincoln's quote suggests that governments are inherently structured for self-preservation and continuity. This implies that in their foundational laws, there are typically no provisions that allow for their own dissolution, highlighting the nature of authority and governance where entities prioritize their survival and stability over potential reform or closure.
Themes
GovernmentAuthoritySelf-PreservationLawTermination
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on governmental reform, one might quote Lincoln to emphasize the challenges of dismantling existing power structures.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes βSir, 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.
Abraham LincolnRead
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