Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that “all men are created equal.” We now practically read it “all men are created equal, except negroes” When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read “all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.” When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy (sic).
Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Joshua Speed, 1855
Watching Republicans parse who deserves rights and freedoms always makes me think of this quote … from the man who would be the first Republican president.
(via politicalprof)
(via think4yourself)
