396 Presidential Addresses 



the aggregate of the individuals, act otherwise than 

 in the way which you esteem as honorable for the 

 individual. 



Ouf place as a Nation is and must be with the 

 nations that have left indelibly their impress on the 

 centuries. Men will tell you that the great expand 

 ing nations of antiquity have passed away. So they 

 have; and so have all others. Those that did not 

 expand passed away and left not so much as a mem 

 ory behind them. The Roman expanded, the Roman 

 passed away, but the Roman has left the print of his 

 law, of his language, of his masterful ability in ad 

 ministration, deep in the world's history, deeply im 

 printed in the character of the races that came after 

 him. I ask that this people rise level to the great 

 ness of its opportunities. I do not ask that it seek 

 for the easiest path. 



If our fathers had preferred ease to effort, if they 

 had been content to say: "Go in peace; we would 

 prefer that the Union were kept, but we are not 

 willing to pay the price in blood and effort of keep 

 ing it ;" if they had done that there is not a man or 

 woman in this hall who would now walk with head 

 erect, who would now have the right to feel, as we 

 have the right to feel, that we challenge equality with 

 the citizens of the proudest country that the world 

 has yet seen. I ask that this generation and future 

 generations strive in the spirit of those who strove to 

 found the Republic, of those who strove to save and 

 perpetuate it. I ask that this Nation shape its policy 

 in a spirit of justice toward all, a spirit of resolute 



