While the people retain their virtue, and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government, in the short space of four years.

—Abraham Lincoln

About Abraham Lincoln

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War, defeating the Confederacy and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

More quotations from Abraham Lincoln

There is an important sense in which government is distinctive from administration. One is perpetual, the other is temporary and changeable. A man may be loyal to his government and yet oppose the particular principles and methods of administration.

—Abraham Lincoln

We know nothing of what will happen in the future, but in the analogy of experience.

—Abraham Lincoln

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

I do the very best I know how-the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.

—Abraham Lincoln

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

truth dog anatomy tail leg

More quotations tagged with “government”

There is an important sense in which government is distinctive from administration. One is perpetual, the other is temporary and changeable. A man may be loyal to his government and yet oppose the particular principles and methods of administration.

—Abraham Lincoln

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

—George Bernard Shaw

poverty government wealth redistribution

I have a friend who has devoted most of his adult life to resisting the madness of war through actions of justice and peace. He… lives in poverty so as to stay below the taxation level.… The money he "should" have given the government over the years he has donated to peace-and-justice projects. Does he have any results to show for his efforts? Has he been effective? Hardly—at least, not by the normal calculus. His years of commitment to peacemaking have been years of steady increase in wars and rumors of wars. So how does he stay healthy and sane? How does he maintain a commitment to this sort of active life? "I have never asked myself if I was being effective," he says, "but only if I was being faithful." He judges his action not by the results it gets, but by its fidelity to his own calling and identity.

—Parker J. Palmer

justice war peace identity poverty government faith calling

It is horrifying that we have to fight our government to save the environment.

government fight environment

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government.

—Edward Abbey

government patriotism

History

11 Jul 2015 Added