Abraham Lincoln famous quotes

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Motivational #Positive

Our republican system was meant for a homogeneous people. As long as blacks continue to live with the whites they constitute a threat to the national life. Family life may also collapse and the increase of mixed breed bastards may some day challenge the supremacy of the white man.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Men #White #Long

Whatever you are, be a good one.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Life #Leadership

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Leadership #God #Wisdom

I have had so many evidences of [God's] direction, so many instances when I have been controlled by some other power than my own will, that I cannot doubt that this power comes from above.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Doubt #Evidence Of God #Evidence

The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of liberty.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Sheep #Civil War #Liberty

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Positive #Happiness

He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Love #Inspirational #Life

A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Friendship #Leadership

Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Veterans Day #Liberty #Civil Rights

We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Freedom #Men #People

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Country #Veterans Day #Brother

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Life #4th Of July

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Character #People #Independence

When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Positive #Religious

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Motivational #Success

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Basketball #Peace

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Faith #Prayer

Destroy your enemy by making him your friend.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Enemy

I never encourage deceit, and falsehood, especially if you have got a bad memory, is the worst enemy a fellow can have. The fact is truth is your truest friend, no matter what the circumstances are.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Memories #Lying #Enemy

These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only. This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Equality #Men #Fairness

Beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance go forward and give us victories.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Military #Giving #Victory

I wish all men to be free. I wish the material prosperity of the already free which I feel sure the extinction of slavery would bring.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Men #Wish #Slavery

Our political problem now is "Can we, as a nation, continue together permanentlyforever--half slave, and half free?" The problem is too mighty for me. May God, in his mercy, superintend the solution.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Political #Together #Half

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Motivational #Leadership

The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Friendship #Best Friend #Clever

I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Life #Motivational

It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Courage #Successful

Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Kindness #Storm #Storms Of Life

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Funny #Life #Sarcastic

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Time #Truth

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Family #Mothers Day #Mom

This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Country #Freedom #4th Of July

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Success #Honesty

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Work #Independent #Civil War

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Life #Motivational

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Government #People #Earth

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Family #Mothers Day #Mom

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Wisdom #Truth

A house divided against itself cannot stand.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Leadership #Inspirational Life #Twilight

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Friendship #Sarcastic

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Honesty #Memories #Liars

I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Niece #Mean

The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Education #Philosophy

A woman is the only thing I am afraid of that I know will not hurt me.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Hurt #Women #Hurt Feelings

My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Dream #Hope #Time

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Failure #Learning

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Dog #Honesty #Humor

If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow-citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Confidence #Respect #Honesty

I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Encouragement #Work

Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Relationship #Marriage #Cynical

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Life And Love #Book #Athlete

I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Positive #Wisdom #Attitude

Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Success #Humor

The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Motivational #Perseverance

Everybody likes a compliment.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational Life #Likes #Compliment

The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Government #Law #Justice

No matter how much cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Anniversary #Cat #Humor

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Change #Wisdom #Time

All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Flower #Garden #Mind

Stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Loyalty #Honesty

The highest art is always the most religious, and the greatest artist is always a devout person.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Religious #Art #Religion

I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspirational #Life #Motivational

Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the man before the dollar.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Men #Dollars #Republican

If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him a chance.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Life #Motivational #Positive

I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Inspiring #Dog #Cat

The people will save their government, if the government itself will allow them.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Government #Sea #People

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

#Life #Strong #Freedom

If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Coffee #Food #Book

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.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Work #Safety

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Funny #Witty #Powerful

These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert, to fleece the people.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Wisdom #People #Concerts

Lets have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Life #Faith #Feet

When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Passion #Fighting #Men

I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Fathers Day #Future

Important principles may, and must, be inflexible.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Honesty #Important

I hope to stand firm enough to not go backward, and yet not go forward fast enough to wreck the country's cause.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Hope #Country #Wrecks

You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Cute #Growing Up

I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Death #Kindness

The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Trust No One #Men

What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Leadership #Humility #Giving

We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Attitude #Character #Giving

Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose - and you allow him to make war at pleasure.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Peace #War #Government

Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Leadership #Inspiration

When you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Running #Acceptance #Elephants

With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Happiness #Smile #Laughter

Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #Success #Wisdom

I can make more generals, but horses cost money.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Money #Horse #War

In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#God #Party #May

The ballot is stronger than the bullet.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Freedom #Presidential #Political

The time comes upon every public man when it is best for him to keep his lips closed.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Time #Men #Political

Public opinion in this country is everything.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Country #Government #Political

Some day I shall be President.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#President

Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Life #Genius #Path

The people themselves, and not their servants, can safely reverse their own deliberate decisions.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#People #Decision #Servant

Hold on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke as much as possible.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Bulldogs #Holding On #Choke

I was losing interest in politics, when the repeal of the Missouri Compromise aroused me again. What I have done since then is pretty well known.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Sunset #Done #Losing

Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. As a peacemaker the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Business #Opportunity #Men

Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Motivational #God #Dream

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
-- Abraham Lincoln

#Suicide #Spring #Answers