Abraham Lincoln, speech to One Hundred Forty-eighth Ohio Regiment, Washington, D.C. (31 August 1864); The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (1953) by Roy P. Basler, vol. 7, p. 528-529

It is vain and foolish to arraign this man or that for the part he has taken, or has not taken, and to hold the government responsible for his acts. In no administration can there be perfect equality of action and uniform satisfaction rendered by all. But this government must be preserved in spite of the acts of any man or set of men. It is worthy your every effort. Nowhere in the world is presented a government of so much liberty and equality. To the humblest and poorest amongst us are held out the highest privileges and positions. The present moment finds me at the White House, yet there is as good a chance for your children as there was for my father's.

— Abraham Lincoln on Federal government of the United States

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It is vain and foolish to arraign this man or that for the part he has taken, or has not taken, and to hold the government responsible for his acts. In no administration can there be perfect equality of action and uniform satisfaction rendered by all. But this government must be preserved in spite of the acts of any man or set of men. It is worthy your every effort. Nowhere in the world is presented a government of so much liberty and equality. To the humblest and poorest amongst us are held out the highest privileges and positions. The present moment finds me at the White House, yet there is as good a chance for your children as there was for my father's." in the context of "Abraham Lincoln, speech to One Hundred Forty-eighth Ohio Regiment, Washington, D.C. (31 August 1864); The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (1953) by Roy P. Basler, vol. 7, p. 528-529" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Federal government of the United States" (L) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Abraham Lincoln

About Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.