On the recordMay 19, 1856
But we must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot; we must be calm and moderate, and consider the whole difficulty, and determine what is possible and just.
Source
gutenberg.orgAbraham Lincoln: “But we must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot; we must be calm and moderate…”
Editor's note · Context
At a Republican meeting, Lincoln advises caution and moderation in political promises, emphasizing the need to consider what is possible and just.
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