Abraham Lincoln, an EssayHoughton Mifflin, 1920 - 117 pages |
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Abraham Lincoln acter administration admirably American anti-slavery ardent armies became Benjamin Wade Black Hawk war cabinet called candidate Chase civil coln coln's Compromise of 1850 Congress Constitution convention debate declared defeated Democrats disunion doubt Douglas Douglas's Dred Scott duty election emancipation exclude slavery feeling felt fight force Frémont friends gave grew hand heart Henry Winter Davis honest Abe Lincoln Illi Illinois judgment Kansas-Nebraska bill knew legislature ment mind Missouri Missouri Compromise moral nature never nois nominated North oath opinion opponents opposition patriotic period plain political politicians popular sovereignty position President presidential proclamation proslavery quently rebellion reëlection Republican Salem secessionists seldom Senate sentiment Seward slave slave power slavery question soon soul Southern speech Springfield statesman strength struggle thought tion true Union cause Union flag Union party United vention victorious votes Whig wood turtle
Popular passages
Page 102 - With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to ' see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in...
Page 43 - 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. Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in...
Page 51 - Can the people of a United States Territory, in any lawful way, against the wish of any citizen of the United States, exclude slavery from its limits prior to the formation of a State constitution?
Page 100 - But the rebellion continues, and now that the election is over, may not all having a common interest reunite in a common effort to save our common country! For my own part, I have striven and shall strive to avoid placing any obstacle in the way. So long as I have been here I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man's bosom.
Page 48 - ... life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." With regard to some of these subjects Lincoln modified his position at a later period, and it has been suggested that he would have professed more advanced principles in his debates with Douglas, had he not feared thereby to lose votes. This view can hardly be sustained. Lincoln had...
Page 93 - States, and afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will faithfully support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, encourage others so to do, so help me God.
Page 109 - It forces us to ask, Is there in all republics this inherent and fatal weakness? Must a government of necessity be too strong for the liberties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?
Page 79 - It was in the oath I took that I would to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. I could not take the office without taking the oath. Nor was it my view that I might take an oath to get power, and break the oath in using the power.
Page 52 - I am after larger game," said he. "If Douglas so answers, he can never be President, and the battle of 1860 is worth a hundred of this." The interrogatory was pressed upon Douglas, and Douglas did answer that, no matter what the decision of the Supreme Court might be on the abstract question, the people of a Territory had the lawful means to introduce or exclude slavery by territorial legislation friendly or unfriendly to the institution. Lincoln found it easy to show the absurdity of the proposition...
Page 100 - So long as I have been here I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man's bosom. While I am deeply sensible to the high compliment of a re-election; and duly grateful, as I trust, to Almighty God for having directed my countrymen to a right conclusion, as I think, for their own good, it adds nothing to my satisfaction that any other man may be disappointed or pained by the result.