Abraham Lincoln: “I have therefore thought it proper to appoint, and I do hereby constitute, a provisional court, which shall be a court…”

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 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.