THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS

A Selection of Passages

from the

SPEECHES, ADDRESSES, AND LETTERS

of

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

"All goes well with us. Every thing seems quiet now."

Boston:

WALKER, FULLER, AND COMPANY,

245 Washington Street

1865.

INTRODUCTION

________

The funeral service of the 19th of April 1865, was the most impressive religious service ever held in this country. By one impulse, the people of the land thronged the churches, which, at the hour of the funeral of the President, were everywhere open. At that hour, more people in this land united in the public worship of God, than ever united in such service on any day before. In Massachusetts, the day has been historical for nearly two centuries. It is now marked by one more association, which will remain in memory till the young children of this generation have grown old and passed away.

This little book, which we call "The President's Words," had its origin in the funeral services of that day. The ministers of different churches, who had to conduct those services, felt, of course, the impossibility of saying any thing which could give any additional precision to the lesson which the hour itself proclaimed. It certainly seemed to me most fit to read from the President's own words, of trust in the people, and faith in God, some of the expressions in which for years he had been the providential teacher of this nation. It was, of course, impossible, on such an occasion, to read more than a few of these.

These selections attracted the attention of the publishers of this volume, who proposed at once to publish a collection of the President's more memorable sayings, and asked me to prepare it for the press. I was very glad to contribute to it such epigrams and aphorisms as I remembered, and had collected from the addresses by which Mr. Lincoln instructed this country in the principles of its own institutions.

We knew, however, that it was desirable to make as full a collection as possible; and my friend, Mr. John Williams, to whose advice and assistance I am every day indebted, undertook the careful reading of every speech and letter of Mr. Lincoln's, which has been published, with a view to the diligent selection from them all, which he has made and arranged for this volume. To the skill with which he has done this work, the reader is indebted for its close condensation of the most striking thoughts which the President has uttered in his public life.

We have arranged them under five general heads, which will facilitate reference. Within those subdivisions, they are, in general, in the order of time. Every one knows that Mr. Lincoln was taught by experience. "I claim not to have controlled events," he said; "I confess plainly that events have controlled me." It has seemed most fair, therefore, to show, as far as might be, the process of the gradual formation of his opinions. In general, we have printed only brief memorabilia, separated even from their immediate connection. The last Inaugural, however, his last long speech, and one or two letters, are printed in full.

It has been matter of regret to us, that we could not with propriety put in print the conversational sayings which are so widely accredited to him. But it will be readily admitted, that such a collection, at this time, should not be attempted.

On the day of the funeral, in an address at Concord, Mr. R. W. Everson thus characterized these brief utterances:

"he is the author of a multitude of good sayings, so disguised as pleasantries that it is certain they had no reputation at first but as jests; and only later, by the very acceptance and adoption they find in the mouths of millions, turn our to be the wisdom of the hour. I am sure, if this man had ruled in a period of less facility of printing, he would have become mythological in a very few years, like Esop or Pilpay, or one of the Seven Wise Masters, by his fables and proverbs.

"But the weight and penetration of many passages in his letters, messages, and speeches, hidden now by the very closeness of their application to the moment, are destined hereafter to a wide fame. What pregnant definitions! what unerring common sense! what foresight! and, on great occasions, what lofty, and, more than national, what humane tone! His brief speech at Gettysburg will not easily be surpassed by words on any recorded occasion. This, and one other American speech, that of John Brown to the court that tied him, and a part of Kossuth's speech at Birmingham, can only be compared with each other, and with no fourth."

To such authoritative criticism on the President's words I can add nothing.

EDWARD E. HALE

Boston, May 18, 1865.

POLITICAL SYSTEMS

FREE LABOR

Our Government was not established that one man might do with himself as he pleases, and with another man too….I say, that, whereas God Almighty has given every man one mouth to be fed, and one pair of hands adapted to furnish food for that mouth, if any thing can be proved to be the will of Heaven, it is proved by this fact, that that mouth is to be fed by those hands, without being interfered with by any other man, who has also his mouth to feed, and his hands to labor with. I hold, if the Almighty had ever made a set of men that should do all the eating and none of the work, he would have made them with mouths only, and no hands; and if he had ever made another class, that he had intended should do all the work and none of the eating, he would have made them without mouths and with all hands.____September, 1865 Abraham Lincoln

HIRED LABOR

My understanding of the hired laborer is this; A young man finds himself of an age to be dismissed from parental control; he has for his capital nothing, save two strong hands that God has given him, a heart willing to labor, and a freedom to choose the mode of his work and the manner of his employer; he has got no soil nor shop, and he avails himself of the opportunity of hiring himself to some man who has capital to pay him a fair day's wages for a fair day's work. He is benefited by availing himself of that privilege. He works industriously; he behaves soberly; and the result of a year or two's labor is a surplus of capital. Now he buys land on his own hook; he settles, marries, begets sons and daughters; and, in course of time he too has enough capital to hire some new beginner.____September, 1859 Abraham Lincoln

GOOD TEMPER

I SHALL endeavor to take the ground I deem most just to the North, the South, the East, the West, and the whole country. I take it, I hope, in good temper, certainly with no malice towards any section. I shall do all that may be in my power to promote a peaceful settlement of all our difficulties. The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None would do more to preserve it; but it may be necessary to put the foot down firmly.____February, 1862 Abraham Lincoln

NATURALIZATION

As I understand the spirit of our institutions, it is designed to promote the elevation of men. I am therefore hostile to any thing that tends to their debasement. It is well known that I deplore the oppressed condition of the blacks; and it would therefore be very inconsistent for me to look with approval upon any measure that infringes upon the inalienable rights of white men, whether or not they are born in another land, or speak a different language from our own.____May, 1859 Abraham Lincoln

SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY

I admit that the emigrant to Kansas and Nebraska is competent to govern himself; but I deny his right to govern any other person, without that person's consent. ___

SENATOR OR PRESIDENT

Mr. Lincoln was urged by some of his friends not to corner Douglas on the point of "unfriendly legislation," because he would surely stand by his doctrine of Squatter Sovereignty, in defiance of the Dred-Scott decision; "and that," said they, "will make him Senator." "That may be," said Mr. Lincoln; "but, if he takes that shoot, he never can be Presidnet."____June, 1858. Abraham Lincoln

IN INDEPENDENCE HALL

Can the country be saved upon the basis of liberty and equality, as set forth in the Declaration of Independence?

If it can, I will consider myself one of the happiest men in the world, if I can help to save it. If it cannot be saved upon that principle, it will be truly awful. But, if this country cannot be saved without giving up that principle, I was about to say, I would rather be assassinated on this spot than surrender it....I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by, and, if it be the pleasure of Almighty God, die by.____February, 1861. Abraham Lincoln

UTAH

It is very plain, the Judge evades the only question the Republicans have ever pressed upon the Democracy in regard to Utah. That question the Judge well knew to be this: "If the people of Utah shall peacefully form a State Constitution, tolerating polygamy, will the Democracy admit them into the Union?"

There is nothing in the United-States Constitution or law against polygamy; and why is it not a part of the Judge's "sacred right of self-government" for the people to have it, or rather to keep it, if they choose? These questions, so far as I know, the Judge never answers. It might involve the Democracy to answer them either way,___and they go unanswered.____June, 1857. Abraham Lincoln

THE DECLARATION A WRECK

Let us hear Judge Douglas's view of that part of the Declaration of Independence, which declares that "all men are created equal." Here it is: "No man can vindicate the character, motives, and conduct of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, except upon the hypothesis that they referred to the white race alone, and not to the African, when they declared all men to have been created equal; that they were speaking of British subjects on this continent, being equal to British subjects born and residing in Great Britain."... My good friends, read that carefully over, some leisure hour, and ponder well upon it: see what a mere wreck, mangled ruin, it makes of our once-glorious Declaration of Independence....I had thought the Declaration promised something better than the condition of British subjects; but, no: it only meant that we should be equal to them in their own oppressed and unequal condition. According to that, it gave no promise, that, having kicked off the king and lords of Great Britain, we should not at once be saddled with a king and lords of our own....I understand, you are preparing to celebrate the "Fourth" to-morrow week....Suppose, after you read the Declaration once, in the old-fashioned way, you read it once more, with Judge Douglas's version. It will run thus: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all British subjects who were on this continent eight-one years ago were created equal to all British subjects born and then residing in Great Britain.___June, 1857 Abraham Lincoln

PATIENT

There is one other thing I will say to you, in this relation. It is but my opinion: I give it to you without a fee. It is my opinion, that it is for you to take him, or be defeated; and that, if you do take him, you may be defeated. You will merely be beaten if you do not take him. We, the Republicans, and others forming the opposition of the country, intend to "stand by our guns," to be patient and firm, and, in the long-run, to beat you, whether you take him or not. We know, that, before we fairly beat you, we have to beat you both together. We know that you are "all of a feather," and that we have to beat you all together; and we expect to do it. We don't intend to be very impatient about it. We mean to be as deliberate and calm about it as it is possible to be, but as firm and resolved as it is possible for men to be.____August, 1858. Abraham Lincoln