Abraham Lincoln on Government
← Back to Abraham Lincoln Profile
“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free.”
“Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?”
“I am struggling to maintain the government, not to overthrow it. I am struggling especially to prevent others from overthrowing it.”
Though forever linked to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the iconic phrase "of the people, by the people, for the people" likely predates him, possibly originating in religious texts centuries prior.
“That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
“While the people retain their virtue, and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government, in the short space of four years.”
“I go for all sharing the privileges of the government who assist in bearing its burdens. Consequently I go for admitting all whites to the right of suffrage who pay taxes or bear arms, by no means excluding females.”
“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 a right were a vital one.”
Facing criticism during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln invoked the image of tightrope walker Blondin to urge support and silence for his administration's efforts.
“Gentlemen, suppose all the property you were worth was in gold, and you had put it in the hands of Blondin to carry across the Niagara River on a rope, would you shake the cable, or keep shouting out to him—"Blondin, stand up a little straighter—Blondin, stoop a little more—go a little faster—lean a little more to the north—lean a little more to the south?" No, you would hold your breath as well as your tongue, and keep your hands off until he was safe over. The Government are carrying an immense weight. Untold treasures are in their hands. They are doing the very best they can. Don't badger them. Keep silence, and we'll get you safe across.”