The Bible is not my book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma.

The President responded very impressively, saying that he was deeply sensible of his need of Divine assistance. He had sometime thought that perhaps he might be an instrument in God's hands of accomplishing a great work and he certainly was not unwilling to be. Perhaps, however, God's way of accomplishing the end which the memorialists have in view may be different from theirs.

Cling to liberty and right; battle fro them; leed for them; die for them, if need be; and have confidence in God.

If 600,000 people have to die in order for the nation to live, then 600,000 people will die.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.

Twenty-two years ago Judge [then-Senator Stephen] Douglas and I first became acquainted. We were both young then; he a trifle younger than I. Even then, we were both ambitious; I, perhaps, quite as much so as he. With me, the race of ambition has been a failure--a flat failure; with him it has been one of splendid success.

A capacity and taste for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.