“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

“Important principles may and must be inflexible.”

“The most altruistic man is the most selfish.”

“I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down...”

“The struggle of today, is not altogether for today - it is for a vast future also.”

“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.”

“Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all.”

“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.”

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

“One company can serve some of your needs all of the time, or all of your needs some of the time, but never both.”

“You can complain because a rose has thorns, or you can rejoice Because the thorns have a rose.”

“Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.”

“RESPONSE TO POLITICAL SMEAR TO ROBERT ALLEN New Salem, June 21, 1836 DEAR COLONEL:—I am told that during my absence last week you passed through this place, and stated publicly that you were in possession of a fact or facts which, if known to the public, would entirely destroy the prospects of N. W. Edwards and myself at the ensuing election; but that, through favor to us, you should forbear to divulge them. No one has needed favors more than I, and, generally, few have been less unwilling to accept them; but in this case favor to me would be injustice to the public, and therefore I must beg your pardon for declining it. That I once had the confidence of the people of Sangamon, is sufficiently evident; and if I have since done anything, either by design or misadventure, which if known would subject me to a forfeiture of that confidence, he that knows of that thing, and conceals it, is a traitor to his country’s interest. I find myself wholly unable to form any conjecture of what fact or facts, real or supposed, you spoke; but my opinion of your veracity will not permit me for a moment to doubt that you at least believed what you said. I am flattered with the personal regard you manifested for me; but I do hope that, on more mature reflection, you will view the public interest as a paramount consideration, and therefore determine to let the worst come. I here assure you that the candid statement of facts on your part, however low it may sink me, shall never break the tie of personal friendship between us. I wish an answer to this, and you are at liberty to publish both, if you choose. Very respectfully, A. LINCOLN.”

“He whose wisdom surpasses that of all philosophers, has declared that 'a house divided against itself cannot stand”