Political essaysHoughton Mifflin, 1904 |
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Common terms and phrases
abolitionism American AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY army become believe Breckinridge called character civil claim common compromise conciliation Congress consequence conservatism consider Constitution conviction coup d'état cracy danger democracy democratic divine doctrine doubt duty election emancipation enemy evil experience fact faith favor feel force Fort Sumter Free Fugitive Slave Law give honor hope human instinct institutions intelligence interest JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL Jefferson Davis Johnson judgment justice leaders less Lincoln manhood matter McClellan means ment merely mind moral nation nature necessity negro ness never North Northern passions patriotism peace Philadelphia Convention political popular prejudice President principle prosperity question reason rebellion Rebels represented Republican party seceding secession seems sense sentiment Seward slave slaveholding slavery Society South Carolina Southern statesmanship strength sure territory theory thing thought tion treason true truth tution Union weak
Popular passages
Page 203 - If to do were as easy as to know what were^ good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions: I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching.
Page 193 - Into their temper, which must needs remove The sensible of pain. All things invite To peaceful counsels, and the settled state Of order, how in safety best we may Compose our present evils, with regard Of what we are, and where ; dismissing quite All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.
Page 251 - While every day was bringing the people nearer to the conclusion which all thinking men saw to be inevitable from the beginning, it was wise in Mr. Lincoln to leave the shaping of his policy to events. In this country, where the rough and ready understanding of the people is sure at last to be the controlling power, a profound common-sense is the best, genius for statesmanship.
Page 137 - If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you, or to any other persons in Washington. " You have done your best to sacrifice this army.
Page 137 - I thought you were ungenerous in assuming that I did not send them as fast as I could. I feel any misfortune to you and your army quite as keenly as you feel it yourself. If you have had a drawn battle, or a repulse, it is the price we pay for the enemy not being in Washington. We protected Washington, and the enemy concentrated on you. Had we stripped Washington, he would have been upon us before the troops could have gotten to you.
Page 172 - Sir, by the eternal principles of natural justice no master in the State has a right to hold his slave in bondage for a single hour.
Page 251 - ... it was wise in Mr. Lincoln to leave the shaping of his policy to events. In this country, where the rough and ready understanding of the people is sure at last to be the controlling power, a profound common-sense is the best genius for statesmanship. Hitherto the wisdom of the President's measures has been justified by the fact that they have always resulted in more firmly uniting public opinion.
Page 202 - War ; as such it should be regarded; and it should be conducted upon the highest principles known to Christian Civilization. It should not be a War looking to the subjugation of the people of any state, in any event.
Page 226 - It is by presence of mind in untried emergencies that the native metal of a man is tested...
Page 255 - The dignity of his thought owes nothing to any ceremonial garb of words, but to the manly movement that comes of settled purpose and an energy of reason that knows not what rhetoric means. There has been nothing of Cleon, still less of Strepsiades striving to underbid him in demagogism, to be found in the public utterances of Mr.