Quotes by Abraham Lincoln

“You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could do for themselves.”

“Sorrow comes to all...Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You cannot now realize that you will ever feel better and yet you are sure to be happy again.”

“From time to time, life as a leader can look hopeless. To help you, consider a man who lived through this: Failed in business at age 31. Defeated for the legislature at 32. Again failed in business at 34. Sweetheart died at 35. Had a nervous breakdown at 36. Defeated in election at 38. Defeated for Congress at 43. Defeated for Congress at 46. Defeated for Congress at 48. Defeated for Senate at 55. Defeated for Vice President at 56. Defeated for Senate at 58. Elected President at age 60. This man was Abraham Lincoln.”

“Freedom is never given, it is won.”

“Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better.”

“The greatest lesson we can learn from the past. . . is that freedom is at the core of every successful nation in the world.”

“As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”

“The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered... deeply, ...finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”

“Liberty is the possibility of doubting, the possibility of making a mistake, the possibility of searching and experimenting, the possibility of saying No to any authority--literary, artistic, philosophic, religious, social and even political.”

“If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you cant fool all of the people all of the time.”

“He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know”

“A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have”

“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”

“Faith is a kind of winged intellect. The great workmen of history have been men who believed like giants.”

“Faith is like electricity. You cant see it, but you can see the light.”

“If you think you can win, you can. Faith is necessary to victory.”

“Do not worry; eat three square meals a day; say your prayers; be courteous to your creditors; keep your digestion good; exercise; go slow and easy. Maybe there are other things your special case requires to make you happy; but, my friend, these I rec”

“The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man wholl get me a book I aint read.”

“It is the eternal struggle between these two principles - right and wrong. They are the two principles that have stood face to face from the beginning of time and will ever continue to struggle. It is the same spirit that says, You work and toil and earn bread, and Ill eat it.”

“One is a majority if he is right.”