"BUTS" AND "IFS" AND "ANDS"

The man who stands by and says nothing when the peril of his government is discussed, cannot be misunderstood. If not hindered, he is sure to help the enemy; much more if he talks ambiguously-talks for his country with "buts," and "ifs," and "ands." Letter to Erastus Corning, June 12, 1863, vol. VIII, p. 305.

VOTERS WHO VOTE THE REAL POWER

It is not the qualified voters, but the qualified voters who choose to vote, that constitute the political

power of the State. -Opinion on Admission of West Virginia, Dec. 31, 1862, vol. VIII, p. 157.

PRESERVATION OF LIBERTY A DUTY

If there is anything which it is the duty of the whole people to never intrust to any hands but their own, that thing is the preservation and perpetuity of their own liberties and institutions. Speech at Peoria, Ill., Oct. 16, 1854, vol. II, p. 235.

BALLOTS, NOT BULLETS, GIVE VICTORY

To give the victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only are necessary. Thanks to our good old Constitution, and organization under it, these alone are necessary. It only needs that

-Notes

every right thinking man shall go to the polls, and without fear or prejudice vote as he thinks.for Speeches, Oct. 1, 1858, vol. IV, p. 235.

NO APPEAL FROM BALLOT TO BULLET

Among free men there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case and pay the cost. -Letter to James C. Conkling, Aug. 26, 1863, vol. IX, p. 1OI.

TRUE LAW OF DIVINE RIGHT

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent.- -Speech at Peoria, Ill., Oct. 16, 1854, vol. II, p. 228.

PREPARATION FOR TYRANNY

Ac

Familiarize yourself with the chains of bondage and you prepare your own limbs to wear them. customed to trample on the rights of others, you have lost the genius of your own independence and become the fit subject of the first cunning tyrant who rises among you.-Fragment of Speech at Edwardsville, Ill., Sept. 13, 1858, vol. XI, p. 110.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS A NATURAL LAW

I believe each individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruit of his

labor, so far as it in no wise interferes with any other man's rights.- -Speech at Chicago, Ill., July 10, 1858, vol. III, p. 35.

EQUALITY IN SOCIETY

Equality in society alike beats inequality, whether the latter be of the British aristocratic sort or of the domestic slavery sort. On Slavery, July 1, 1854, vol. II, p. 184.

ALL MEN CREATED EQUAL

Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal except negroes and foreigners and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty,-to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy. -Letter to Joshua F. Speed, Aug. 24, 1855, vol. II, p. 287.

THE LAW OF LIBERTY

I am for the people of the whole nation doing just as they please in all matters which concern the whole nation; for those of each part doing just as

they choose in all matters which concern no other part; and for each individual doing just as he chooses in all matters which concern nobody else. Notes for Speeches, Oct. 1, 1858, vol. IV, p. 231.

OBJECT OF GOVERNMENT ✔

The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves, in their separate and individual capacities. In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interOn Government, July 1, 1854, vol. II, p.

fere. 186.

GOVERNMENT BY MAJORITY

I reiterate that the majority should rule. If I adopt a wrong policy, the opportunity for condemnation will occur in four years' time. Then I can be turned out, and a better man with better views put in my place. -Address at Steubenville, O., Feb. 14, 1861, vol. VI, p. 123.

NATURE OF POLITICAL SOVEREIGNTY

What is "sovereignty" in the political sense of the term? Would it be far wrong to define it "a political community without a political superior?". Message to Congress, July 4, 1861, vol. VI, p. 315.

TRUE POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY

I think a definition of "popular sovereignty," in the abstract, would be about this: That each man shall do precisely as he pleases with himself, and with all those things that exclusively concern him that a general government shall do all those things which pertain to it, and all the local governments shall do precisely as they please in respect to, those matters which exclusively concern them.- -Speech at Columbus, O., Sept. 16, 1859, vol. V, p. 149.

FRENCH COOK AND POTATO SOUPS

Coming to the substance, the first point, "popular sovereignty." It is to be labeled upon the cars in which he travels; put upon the hacks he rides in; to be flaunted upon the arches he passes under, and the banners which wave over him. It is to be dished up in as many varieties as a French cook can produce soups from potatoes.Speech at Springfield, Ill., July 17, 1858, vol. III, p. 160.

EQUALITY AND PROSPERITY

When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal" a self-evident truth, but now when we have grown fat, and have lost all dread of being slaves ourselves, we have become so greedy to be masters that we call the same maxim "a self-evi