Abraham Lincoln Quotes About Democracy

• 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.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Freedom, Men, Democracies Have
• 

  No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Leadership, Witty, Men

• As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Wisdom, Freedom, Humor

  "Definition of Democracy," ca. 1 Aug. 1858

• Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Freedom, Fire, Democracies Have
• 

  The ballot is stronger than the bullet.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Freedom, Democracies Have, Presidential

  Speech, 19 May 1856

• The money power preys on the nation in times of peace, and conspires against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces, as public enemies, all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Money, Selfish, Adversity

• Money will cease to be master and become the servant of humanity. Democracy will rise superior to the money power.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Humanity, Democracy, Money Power

• Democracy is "government of, by and for the people".

  Abraham Lincoln

  Government, People, Political

  Abraham Lincoln (1943). “Selected Writings and Speeches of Abraham Lincoln”

• Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

  Abraham Lincoln

  4th Of July, Patriotic, America

  Gettysburg Address, Gettysburg, Pa., 19 Nov. 1863.

• Elections belong to the people. It's their decision.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Democracies Have, People, Voting

• When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal" a self evident truth; but now when we have grown fat, and have lost all dread of being slaves ourselves, we have become so greedy to be masters that we call the same maxim "a self evident lie" The fourth of July has not quite dwindled away; it is still a great day-for burning fire-crackers!!!

  Abraham Lincoln

  Kings, Lying, Men

  Abraham Lincoln (1989). “Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings Part 1: 1832-1858: Library of America #45”, p.359, Library of America

• Our adversaries [ the Confederate States of America ] have adopted some declarations of independence in which, unlike the good old one penned by Jefferson, they omit the words "all men are created equal." Why? They have adopted a temporary national constitution, in the preamble of which, unlike our good old one, signed by Washington, they omit "We, the People," and substitute "We, the deputies of the sovereign and independent States." Why? Why this deliberate pressing out of view, the rights of men, and the authority of the people?

  Abraham Lincoln

  Independent, Men, America

• The Democracy of to-day hold the liberty of one man to be absolutely nothing, when in conflict with another mans right of property. Republicans, on the contrary, are for both the man and the dollar; but in cases of conflict, the man before the dollar.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Men, Democracy, Liberty

  Abraham Lincoln, Don Edward Fehrenbacher (1977). “Abraham Lincoln, a Documentary Portrait Through His Speeches and Writings”, p.120, Stanford University Press

• What I want is to get done what the people desire to have done, and the question for me is how to find that out exactly.

  Abraham Lincoln

  People, Democracy, Desire

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