Abraham Lincoln: “I transmit herewith the report of the Secretary of War, which, with my permission, has been delayed until the present…”

He said, with a great deal of emphasis, and with an expression of countenance I shall never forget: "When a man is sincerely penitent for his misdeeds, and gives satisfactory evidence of the same, he can safely be pardoned, and there is no…

I believe that it is not only possible, but in fact easier, to do this without deciding or even considering whether these States have ever been out of the Union, than with it.

I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end.

If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.