Friday, July 31, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 362

'Both [the North and the South] read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any man should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully.
 - Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 361

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

Monday, July 27, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 360

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

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 359

’Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.'
- Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address


Thursday, July 23, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 358

‘Come what will, I will keep faith with friend and foe.’
- Abraham Lincoln

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 357

YOU AND I SHOULD BE SO AMBITIOUS!
'Die when I may I want it said 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

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 356

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

Friday, July 17, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 355


During his long years as an attorney Lincoln’s ‘stories and jokes and, more important, his skills as a lawyer helped him fit in. Most of all, perhaps, Lincoln met the professional standards of manliness, and this despite the fact that he did not drink, gamble, or otherwise perform according to wider cultural conventions of the day. He was direct and unpretentious in his professional demeanor; he was both aggressive and courteous in his pursuit of courtroom victory.’
- Brian Dirck

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 354

'Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.'
- Abraham Lincoln

Monday, July 13, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 353

Is this analysis still true of the United States’ experiment with self-government?
 ‘At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step across the Ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reaches 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


Saturday, July 11, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 352

How to offer constructive criticism: ‘Are you not over-cautious when you assume that you cannot do what the enemy is consistently doing?’
- Abraham Lincoln

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 351

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

- Abraham Lincoln

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 350


Charles Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, once told the president that his young daughter wanted to be introduced to the President. Lincoln walked over, took up the girl, kissed her and talked to her. The scene seemed remarkable to Dana because important men of high office usually lack natural and easy grace in handling a child. With Lincoln Dana noticed the child felt easy. Without knowing it Lincoln had passed an acid test!

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 349

Draining the President’s attention and energy was a virtually endless stream of office seekers. ‘Too many pegs and not enough holes to put them in,’ he observed wryly. When Lincoln got back to Washington from the Gettysburg cemetery dedication he contracted a mild form of smallpox. Where were the office seekers, he quipped. Now he had something he could give everybody.


Friday, July 3, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 348


Advice to young lawyers: '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

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 347


'Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.'
- Abraham Lincoln