"As
I would be no slave, so I would not be a master."
"Those
who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves;
and, under
a just God, can not long retain it."
"...[rulers]
enslaving the people in all ages of the world...always bestrode
the necks of the people, not that they wanted to do
it, but because the people were better off for being ridden."
"No
man is good enough to govern another man without that others'
consent."
"In
all that the people can individually do as well for themselves,
government
ought not to interfere."
"...every
individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself
and
the fruits of his labor, so far as it
in no way interferes with any other men's rights...the general
government, upon principle, has no right to interfere with anything
other than that general class of things that does concern the
whole."
"We
all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not
all mean
the same thing. With some the word liberty
may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the
product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean
for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product
of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible
things..."
"...it
is best for all to leave each man free to acquire property
as fast
as he can. Some will get wealthy. I don't believe
in a law to prevent a man from getting rich; it would do more
harm than good."
"Property...is
a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows
that others may become rich, and hence it
is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him
who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him
labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by his example
assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."
"...the
sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence...gave
liberty
not alone to the people of this country, but hope to
all the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise
that in due time the weights would be lifted from the shoulders
of all men..."
"Our
reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in
us. Our
defense is in the spirit which prizes liberty as the
heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere. Destroy this spirit
and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your own doors."
"Don't
interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained,
for it is the only safeguard of our liberties."
"Our
safety, our liberty depends on preserving the Constitution
of the United
States as our fathers made it inviolate. 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."
"If
by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority
of any
clearly written constitutional right, it might
in a moral point of view, justify revolution-certainly would
if such a right were a vital one."
Abraham
Lincoln on Liberty
