On the recordJuly 4, 1861
It may be affirmed without extravagance that the free institutions we enjoy have developed the powers and improved the condition of our whole people, beyond any example in the world.
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gutenberg.orgAbraham Lincoln: “It may be affirmed without extravagance that the free institutions we enjoy have developed the powers and improved the…”
Editor's note · Context
Addressing Congress during the early days of the Civil War, Lincoln praised the American system of free institutions for its unparalleled benefits to the populace.
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