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

First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon
Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

Minority rights American politics

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1861 1860s 19th century

Occupation

American President National leader Politician

From

United States

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1861, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "First Inaugral Address, March 4, 1861." Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher. Library of America, 2018.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Abraham Lincoln about minority rights: “If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of…”
Download
A quote by Abraham Lincoln about minority rights: “If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of…”
Download
A quote by Abraham Lincoln about minority rights: “If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 1860s

An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.

George Eliot

Felix Holt, the Radical

Buy Felix Holt, the Radical at Amazon Buy Felix Holt, the Radical at Amazon
Read Felix Holt, The Radical at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Campaign promises Politics and lies Political campaigns Elections Politics
Speaker
Felix Holt

Author

George Eliot
Source
Felix Holt, the Radical
Medium
Novel
Language
English
Time
1866 1860s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Eliot, George. Felix Holt, the Radical. Edinburgh: William Blackwood & Sons, 1866, ch. 5.

Current Citation

Eliot, George. Felix Holt, the Radical, edited by Lynda Mugglestone. Penguin Classics, 1995, ch. 5.

Another quote about American politics

I live in a rather special world. I know only one person who voted for Nixon. Where they are I don't know. They're outside my ken. But sometimes when I'm in a theater I can feel them.

Pauline Kael

More information about this quote
Topic
Living in a bubble American politics
Speaker
Pauline Kael
Language
English
Time
1972 1970s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Kael, Pauline. Quoted in "Critics Here Focus on Films As Language Conference Opens." Written by Israel Shenker. The New York Times, 28 Dec. 1972. Originally stated in a lecture at the Modern Language Association, Dec. 1972.

Another quote from 1861

It is a very great thing to be able to think as you like; but, after all, an important question remains: what you think.

Matthew Arnold

Democracy

More information about this quote
Topic
Freedom of thought Thoughts

Author

Matthew Arnold
Source
Democracy
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1861 1860s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Arnold, Matthew. "Democracy." The Popular Education of France: With Notices of that of Holland and Switzerland. Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1861.

Current Citation

Arnold, Matthew. "Democracy." Culture and Anarchy and Other Selected Prose. Penguin Classics, 2015.

Another quote from the following genre Political speech

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

Winston Churchill

More information about this quote
Topic
World War II
Speaker
Winston Churchill
Medium
Speech
Genre
Political speech
Language
English
Time
1940 1940s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Churchill, Winston. "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat." House of Commons meeting. 13 May 1940, The Palace of Westminster, London, England, UK. Address.

Current Citation

Churchill, Winston. "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat." Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Great Speeches, edited by David Cannadine. Penguin Classics, 2007.