In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins.

... anything is better than indecision. We must decide. If I am wrong, we shall soon find out and can do the other thing. But not to decide wastes both time and money and may ruin everything.

There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword.

The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most.

It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training.

I read the story and reread the story, but I still could not find the universality that the little Irishman had spoken of. All I saw in the story was some Irishmen meeting in a room and talking politics. What had that to do with America, especially with my people? It was not until years later that I saw what he meant ... I began to listen, to listen closely to how they talked about their heroes, to how they talked about the dead and how great the dead had once been. I heard it everywhere.

The cause of the great War of the Rebellion against the United Status will have to be attributed to slavery.