“By what principle of original right is it that one-fiftieth or one-ninetieth of a great nation, by calling themselves a State, have the right to break up and ruin that nation as a matter of original principle?”
- February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865
- American
- Politician, lawyer
- As the 16th President of the United States, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation and led the Civil War to maintain the unity of the nation.
Quote
“By what principle of original right is it that one-fiftieth or one-ninetieth of a great nation, by calling themselves a State, have the right to break up and ruin that nation as a matter of original principle?”
Explanation
In this quote, Abraham Lincoln is challenging the principle of secession during the period leading up to the American Civil War. He questions the legitimacy of the idea that individual states, such as those in the South, have the right to secede from the Union simply by declaring themselves independent. Lincoln points out the contradiction in the notion that such a small fraction of the population, represented by states that make up a minority of the nation, should have the power to dismantle the nation as a whole. His argument rests on the idea that the Union—the collective political and social bond of the United States—cannot be broken by a minority acting in their own self-interest, as it would undermine the foundation of a nation built on the principles of democracy and unity.
This quote reflects Lincoln’s staunch commitment to preserving the Union at all costs. He viewed the secession of Southern states as a direct threat to the existence of the United States and the values enshrined in the Constitution. Lincoln believed that no single state, or group of states, should have the right to unilaterally dissolve the Union, as doing so would violate the principle of democratic governance, in which all states are bound by a common will and a shared national purpose. This argument was central to his rhetoric throughout the Civil War, particularly in his speeches such as the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address, where he appealed to the idea of national unity and the perpetuity of the Union.
In the context of modern politics, this quote remains relevant in discussions of national integrity versus states’ rights. While the right of secession has been definitively settled by the outcome of the Civil War and subsequent legal rulings, the underlying tension between federal authority and state sovereignty continues to surface in debates over issues such as state laws versus federal mandates, civil rights, and regional autonomy. Lincoln’s view supports the idea of a strong, unified nation where the collective good of the entire country should supersede the individual interests of its parts. This concept is still reflected in legal battles over the limits of state power and the preservation of the Union’s broader principles.
