John Morley: “He insisted once more that the public opinion of this country was unanimous that the restoration of the American union…”

All alike concerned themselves with its truth or falsehood, with what they counted to be its abstract fitness or unfitness.

We ought to be able to separate in thought the question of the grounds and evidence for a given dogma being true, from the distinct and purely historic question of the social and intellectual conditions which made men accept it for true.

I am trying to feel my way through the most difficult problem, the most difficult situation that a responsible Government can have to face.

Yet they had certainly no less value and truth than they ever had, and perhaps were more needed than ever in face of the present chaos of opinion.