New Year Advice from Abraham Lincoln

     As someone who believes so strongly in the importance of learning from history, I decided to share the advice from the man who held the Union together during such divisive times during the Civil War as my New Year's post.  Perhaps his words have value to our current turbulent times.  

    "I am exceedingly anxious that this Union, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the original idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty, and of this, his almost chosen people, for perpetuating the object of that great struggle."  July 10, 1858.  "Most governments have been based, practically, on the denial of equal right of men...ours began, by affirming those right.  They said, some men are too ignorant, and vicious, to share in government.  Possibly so, said we; and by your system, you would always keep them ignorant, and vicious.  We proposed to give all a chance; and we expected the weak to grow stronger, the ignorant wiser; and all better, and happier together."  July 1, 1854    

    "Passion has helped us; but it 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."  January 27, 1838  "If a man will stand up and assert, and repeat and re-assert, that two and two do not make four, I know nothing in the power of argument that can stop him."  February 22, 1854   "The people  -- the people  --  are the rightful masters of both congress and courts  --  not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it."  Speech in Kansas, December 1859 

    "It is not merely for to-day, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children's children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives."  August 22, 1864  "May our children and our children's children to a thousand generations, continue to enjoy the benefits conferred upon us by a united country, and have cause yet to rejoice under those glorious institutions bequeathed us by Washington and his compeers."  October 4, 1862

    Thank you Mr. President.  May your words echo through the centuries, and may 2024 be a happy new year.