John Sherman: “To surround with the military array, to demand surrender, and enforce the departure of the garrison, was an act of war.”

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.

It was settled by this war that we have a country limited in its powers by the constitution of the United States fairly construed.

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

The events of the future are beyond the vision of mankind, but I hope our people will be content with internal growth, and avoid the complications of foreign acquisitions.