Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 289

'If A can prove however conclusively that he may of right enslave B why may not B snatch the argument and prove equally that he may enslave A? You say A is white and B is black. It is color then, the lighter having the right to enslave the darker? Take care. By this rule you are to be a slave to the first man you meet with a fairer skin than your own. You do not mean color exactly? You mean the whites are intellectually the superiors of the blacks and therefore have the right to enslave them? Take care again. By this rule you are to be the slave to the first man you meet with an intellect superior to your own. But say you it is a question of interest; and if you can make it your interest you have the right to enslave another. Very well. And if he can make it his interest he has the right to enslave you.'

- Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 288

'If any personal description of me is thought desirable I am in height, six feet four inches nearly; lean in flesh weighing on an average one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion with coarse black hair and gray eyes - no other marks or brands recollected.'

- Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 287

'If I had been allowed my way this war would have ended before this, but we find it still continues; and we must believe that God permits it for some wise purpose of his own, mysterious and unknown to us; and though with our limited understandings we may not be able to comprehend it, yet we cannot but believe, that He who made the world still governs it.'

- Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 286

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

- Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 285

'If to be the head of Hell is as hard as what I have to undergo here, I could find it in my heart to pity Satan himself.'

- Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 284

'If we could first know where we are and whither we are tending we could then better judge what to do and how to do it.'

- Abraham Lincoln

FROM LINCOLN TO AMERICA: "BE MORE LIKE ME"

"It"s New Years Resolution time, and I have a few for you. (I never would have said anything like this when I was alive, but Booth changed everything!)

"As a people you're not nearly as prone to violence as in my day, but you're every bit as silly, as sad, as incendiary. So try this on for size - hopefully you'll be better at following thus advice in your day than my trigger-happy contemporaries were in mine:

'Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defense.'

And finally, honor the challenge implied in the second part of this quote, frontal assault and all:

'I don't like that man; I must get to know him better' - that'll give off all the right sparks, don't you agree?

"Your friend,

"A. LINCOLN"