Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal feeling.

There are few things wholly evil or wholly good. Almost everything, especially of government policy, is an inseparable compound of the two, so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.

I intend no modification of my oft-expressed wish that all men everywhere could be free.

My paramount objective in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not to either save or destroy Slavery.

It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

I will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. It is not the Constitution as I would like to have it, but as it is, that is to be defended. The Constitution will not be preserved & defended until it is enforced & obeyed in every part of every one of the United States. It must be so respected, obeyed, enforced and defended, and let the grass grow where it may.

But, slavery is good for some people! ! ! As a good thing, slavery is strikingly peculiar, in this, that it is the only good thing which no man ever seeks the good of, for himself.