Now I confess myself as belonging to that class in the country who contemplate slavery as a moral, social and political evil.

The struggle of today, is not altogether for today - it is for a vast future also. With a reliance on Providence, all the more firm and earnest, let us proceed in the great task which events have devolved upon us.

One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war.

My father, at the death of his father, was but six years of age; and he grew up, literally without education.

We cannot escape history.

As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.

It is for us and our time...to say the right makes might.