Abraham Lincoln: “Herewith is the draft of the bill to compensate any State which may abolish slavery within its limits, the passage of…”

Unlike a case of war between independent nations, there is no organized organ for us to treat with,--no one man has authority to give up the rebellion for any other man.

If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything.

Important principles may and must be inflexible.

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