“A drop of honey gathers more flies than a gallon of gall”

“I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”

“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.”

“If any man at this day sincerely believes that a proper division of local from federal authority, or any part of the Constitution, forbids the Federal Government to control as to slavery in the federal territories, he is right to say so, and to enforce his position by all truthful evidence and fair argument which he can. But he has no right to mislead others, who have less access to history, and less leisure to study it, into the false belief that "our fathers who framed the Government under which we live" were of the same opinion - thus substituting falsehood and deception for truthful evidence and fair argument.”

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

“And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.”

“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.”

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

“I was a little cross.I ask pardon. If I do get up a little temper I have no sufficient time to keep it up.”

“In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

“If Friendship is your weakest point, you are the strongest person in the world.”

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

“Women are the only people I am afraid of who I never thought would hurt me”

“Everything I ever learned, I learned from books.”

“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”