Abraham Lincoln: “The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier…”

As a general rule I abstain from reading the reports of attacks upon myself, wishing not to be provoked by that to which I cannot properly offer an answer.

Important principles may and must be inflexible.

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.

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