"In the first place, I insist that..." - Quote by Abraham Lincoln

“The worst thing you can do for those you love is the things they could and should do themselves.”

“In my view of the present aspect of affairs, there is no need of bloodshed and war. There is no necessity for it. I am not in favor of such a course, and I may say in advance, there will be no blood shed unless it be forced upon the government. The government will not use force unless force is used against it.”

“There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.”

“Slaves would be tyrants were the chance theirs.”

“If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose.”

“The real names of our people were destroyed during slavery. The last name of my forefathers was taken from them when they were brought to America and made slaves, and then the name of the slave master was given, which we refuse, we reject that name today and refuse it. I never acknowledge it whatsoever.”

“It is only barbarous nations who have a sudden growth after a victory”

“We have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. I belong to the generation of leaders for whom the achievement of democracy was the defining challenge.”

“I am not one who, to quote an American author, believes that democracy and enterprise have finally won the battle of ideas - that we have therefore arrived at the end of history, and there is nothing left to fight for. That would be unutterably complacent, indeed foolish. There will always be threats to freedom, not only from frontal assaults, but more insidiously by erosion from within.”