God bless the Methodist Church - bless all the churches - and blessed be God, Who, in this our great trial, giveth us the churches.

Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.

Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?

I shall adopt new views as fast as they shall appear to be true views.

If at any time all labour should cease, and all existing provisions be equally divided among the people, at the end of a single year there could scarcely be one human being left alive--all would have perished by want of subsistence.

Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.

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.