But he has no right to mislead others who have less access to history, and less leisure to study it, into the false belief that "our fathers who framed the government under which we live" were of the same opinion--thus substituting falsehood and deception for truthful evidence and fair argument.
In his Cooper Union Address, Lincoln argues against misrepresenting the founders' views on slavery to mislead the public.
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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.
The question is, will it be wiser to take it as it is and help to improve it, or to reject and disperse it?
He said, with a great deal of emphasis, and with an expression of countenance I shall never forget: "When a man is sincerely penitent for his misdeeds, and gives satisfactory evidence of the same, he can safely be pardoned, and there is no…
If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.
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