“My highest object in this struggle is the preservation of the union, not the preservation or abolition of slavery. If I could save the union without freeing a single slave, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing some slaves and not freeing others, I would do it. What I do in the matter of slavery and for the colored race, I do because I believe it will help preserve the union...”
“We will not help people by doing for them what they could do for themselves.”
Translated from Russian · source: wisdomlib.ru