Abraham Lincoln — Quotes

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln delivered this famous line during his 1858 Illinois Senate campaign speech, warning that the nation could not endure permanently half slave and half free.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Opening lines of the Gettysburg Address delivered in November 1863 at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln wrote this in an August 1862 letter to Horace Greeley, clarifying that preservation of the Union was his primary goal during the Civil War.

“That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Closing sentiment from the Gettysburg Address, expressing his vision for America's future after the Civil War.

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln expressed this principle regarding his moral obligations, demonstrating his commitment to principle over political expediency throughout his presidency.

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln emphasized democratic processes and the power of voting rights as the foundation of American governance.

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln expressed this philosophy when assembling his Cabinet with political rivals, seeking national unity during the Civil War.

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”

— Abraham Lincoln · Lincoln guided his approach to Reconstruction and treatment of Confederate soldiers, preferring reconciliation to harsh punishment.