Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.

Women are the only people I am afraid of who I never thought would hurt me

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.

Tact: the ability to describe others as they see themselves.

in times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll git me a book I ain’t read. (ca. 1825; in Sandburg, Prairie Years, I, p. 71)

It was not until the year 1808 that Great Britain abolished the slave trade. Up to that time her judges, sitting upon the bench in the name of justice, her priests, occupying her pulpits, in...

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

I have come to the conclusion never again to think of marrying, and for this reason, I can never be satisfied with anyone who would be blockhead enough to have me.

A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It...

Lincoln on Grant: “He makes things get. Wherever he is, he makes things move.

The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.

I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.

The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.

What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.[Lincoln’s maxim and philosophy]

The ballot is stronger than the bullet.

To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.

Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.

Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves

I am not concerned that you have fallen — I am concerned that you arise.

Two principles have stood face-to-face from the beginning of time; and they will ever continue to struggle. The one is the common right of humanity and the other the divine right of kings.

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be...

I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written constitutional right, it might in a moral point of view justify revolution; certainly would if such right were...

If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can...

If frienship is your weakest point then you are the strongest person in the world.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.

Take all that you can of this book upon reason, and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier man. (When a skeptic expressed surprise to see him reading a Bible)

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves, and, under a just God cannot retain it.

My greatest concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are concerned with your failure.

The more sects we have the better. They are all getting somebody in (to the Church) that the others could not: and even with the numerous divisions we are all doing tolerably well.

The Lord prefers common-looking people. That is why he made so many of them.

The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation is the philosophy of government in the next.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.

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...

There has never been but one question in all civilization-how to keep a few men from saying to many men: You work and earn bread and we will eat it.

In this sad world of ours sorrow comes to all and it often comes with bitter agony. Perfect relief is not possible except with time. You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better....

If Friendship is your weakest point, you are the strongest person in the world.

I was a little cross.I ask pardon. If I do get up a little temper I have no sufficient time to keep it up.

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar

In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong. God cannot be for, and against the same thing at the same...

Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.

A farce or comedy is best played; a tragedy is best read at home.

Lets have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.

No matter how much the cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens.