John Sherman: “Do you not know that the normal condition of such a state of affairs would be eternal, everlasting war?”

The life of a civilian is in what he says or writes, that of a soldier in what he does.

If my life is prolonged I will do all I can to add to the strength and prosperity of the United States, but nothing to extend its limits or to add new dangers by acquisition of foreign territory.

The Union already embraces discordant elements enough without adding others.

Our family of states is already large enough to create embarrassment in the Senate, and a republic should not hold dependent provinces or possessions.