Men acquiesce in a thousand things, once righteously and boldly done, to which, if proposed to them in advance, they might find endless objections.

The people are forbidden to give aid and comfort to rebels. What of a government that has the power to cut off from aid and comfort all the rebels of the South and fails to exercise it?

It is within your power at this very moment not only to consumate an act of enlightened statesmanship, but, as the instrument of the Almighty, to restore to freedom a race of men.

Property that endangers the safety of a nation should not be suffered to remain in the hands of its citizens.

The worship of words is more pernicious than the worship of images. Grammatolatry is the worst species of idolatry.

Property in man, always morally unjust, has become nationally dangerous.

We can constitutionally extirpate slavery at this time.