Abraham Lincoln

My early life, and indeed the whole of my life, has been one of toil and hardship.

The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.

Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.

I am not ashamed to confess that I am not a perfect man, nor to confess that I have made many mistakes.

Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.

I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.

Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.

The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anyone is watching him.

I have always thought that all men should be free; but if any should be slaves, it should be those who desire it for themselves, and not for others.

My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side.

I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.

Our republican robe is soiled and trailed in the dust. Let us repurify it. Let us turn and wash it white, in the spirit, if not the blood, of the Revolution. Let us make our name of American, the kindred of one another, and thus we shall not only be brothers, but a band of brothers, and with the blessing of God, go forward.

I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.

If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union.

Negroes have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but not a right to social and political equality with whites.

What I would most desire would be the separation of the white and black races.

You and we are different races. We have between us a broader difference than exists between almost any other two races. Whether it is right or wrong I need not discuss, but this physical difference is a great disadvantage to us both, as I think your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living among us, while ours suffer from your presence. In a word, we both suffer. This physical difference between us is a great disadvantage to us both, as I think your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living among us, while ours suffer from your presence. In a word, we both suffer.

I could not feel that I had done my duty to the country if I should permit myself to be prevailed upon to make any such appointment.

I have no prejudice against the Southern people. They are not to blame for the institution of slavery among them. They are in the condition of a man with a wen on his neck. It is an excrescence, but you can't cut it off without danger to the life of the patient.

A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.