Freedom is the last, best hope of earth.

Law is nothing else but the best reason of wise men applied for ages to the transactions and business of mankind.

We want, and must have, a national policy, as to slavery, which deals with it as being wrong.

Never stir up litigation. A worse man can scarcely be found than one who does this.

The time comes upon every public man when it is best for him to keep his lips closed.

no man who is resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention, still less can he afford to take the consequences, including the vitiation of his temper and the loss of self control, yield to larger things to which you show no more than equal rights, and yield to lesser ones though clearly your own, better give your path to a dog, than be bitten by him in contesting for the right, not even killing the dog, will cure the bite

To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a worthy object of any good government.