As a general principle you should not force young men to do their duty, but let them do it voluntarily and thereby develop their characters.

We poor sinners need to come back from our wanderings to seek pardon through the all-sufficient merits of our Redeemer. And we need to pray earnestly for the power of the Holy Spirit to give us a precious revival in our hearts and among the unconverted.

There is always hazard in military activity, but we must decide between the positive loss of inactivity and the risk of action.

It is glorious to see such courage in one so young.

I am of the opinion that all who can should vote for the most intelligent, honest, and conscientious men eligible to office, irrespective of former party opinions, who will endeavour to make the new constitutions and the laws passed under them as beneficial as possible to the true interests, prosperity, and liberty of all classes and conditions of the people.

I have been up to see the Congress and they do not seem to be able to do anything except to eat peanuts and chew tobacco, while my army is starving.

So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished.