“Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States – old as well as new – North as well as South.”
- 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
“Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States – old as well as new – North as well as South.”
Explanation
This quote encapsulates Abraham Lincoln’s view on the critical moment in American history when the nation was deeply divided over the issue of slavery. He presents a stark choice: either slavery’s expansion will be halted and it will eventually be viewed as something destined for extinction, or it will be pushed forward by its advocates, resulting in nationwide legalization—across both Northern and Southern states. Lincoln frames the issue as a moral and political crossroads, where the future of slavery hinges on the actions of the people and their elected leaders. His argument highlights the inevitability of a resolution to the slavery question—either through abolition or through its national expansion.
Historically, this quote came at a time when the issue of slavery was at the center of American political debates. The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) and the Dred Scott decision (1857) had reignited the battle over whether slavery should be allowed to expand into new territories. Lincoln, a strong opponent of the expansion of slavery, believed that it was crucial to prevent its spread into the Western territories and that doing so would help put the institution on a path to eventual extinction. In contrast, pro-slavery advocates, especially in the South, wanted to expand slavery into all parts of the country. Lincoln’s position reflected his belief that the nation could not endure permanently half-slave and half-free; a resolution was necessary to ensure the country’s moral and political stability.
In modern times, the quote can be applied to any situation where a society faces a deep moral or political divide, and where action must be taken to either halt the progression of a harmful practice or to allow it to spread uncontested. It serves as a reminder that societal issues, particularly those tied to justice and human rights, demand decisive action. Whether in the context of civil rights, environmental protection, or other areas of moral concern, the quote suggests that a choice must be made: either to move forward with progress and reform, or to allow injustice to expand unchecked.
