The friend of my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.
I know of no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.
I have never advocated war, except as a means of peace.
Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men who disgrace labor.
I only knew what was in my mind, and I wished to express it clearly
The framers of our Constitution firmly believed that a republican government could not endure without intelligence and education generally diffused among the people. The Father of his Country, in his Farewell Address, uses this language: Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.
Everyone has his superstitions. One of mine has always been when I started to go anywhere, or to do anything, never to turn back or to stop until the thing intended was accomplished.
The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.
Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.
I have nothing to do with opinions. I deal only with armed rebellion and its aiders and abettors.
The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on.
In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins.
I suffer the mortification of seeing myself attacked right and left by people at home professing patriotism and love of country who never heard the whistle of a hostile bullet. I pity them and the nation dependent on such for its existence. I am thankful, however that, though such people make a great noise, the masses are not like them.
I appreciate the fact, and am proud of it, that the attentions I am receiving are intended more for our country than for me personally.
It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training.
Declare Church and State forever separate and distinct, but each free within their proper spheres, and that all church property shall bear its own proportion of taxation.
I would suggest the taxation of all property equally, whether church or corporation, exempting only the last resting place of the dead and possibly, with proper restrictions, church edifices.
I know only two tunes: one of them is 'Yankee Doodle', and the other isn't.
There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword.
My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent.
