pondering religion
The Union must be preserved and slavery is wrong.
Nevertheless, the president still released two rebel prisoners.
From The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven:
MEMORANDUM,
DECEMBER 3, 1864.
On Thursday of last week, two ladies from Tennessee came before the President, asking the release of their husbands held as prisoners of war at Johnson’s Island. They were put off until Friday, when they came again, and were again put off until Saturday. At each of the interviews one of the ladies urged that her husband was a religious man, and on Saturday the President ordered the release of the prisoners, when he said to this lady: “You say your husband is a religious man; tell him when you meet him, that I say I am not much of a judge of religion, but that, in my opinion, the religion that sets men to rebel and fight against their own government, because, as they think, that government does not sufficiently help some men to eat their bread in the sweat of other men’s faces, is not the sort of religion upon which people can get to heaven.”
A. LINCOLN.
President Lincoln is often quoted as saying, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right”
View of Johnson’s Island, near Sandusky City, O.
I’m assuming President Lincoln is talking about slavery here because I sure am thankful that others have hired me to help them and me eat our bread by some honest sweat.
The image of Abraham Lincoln is from wpclipart
