I have always hated slavery, I think as much as any Abolitionist.

We must have though a man who recognizes the slavery issue as being the living issue of the day; who does not hesitate to declare slavery a wrong, nor to deal with it as such; who believes in the power and duty of Congress to prevent the spread of it.

I think that if anything can be proved by natural theology, it is that slavery is morally wrong.

Free labor has the inspiration of hope; pure slavery has no hope.

If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so think ... to this day, I have done no official act in mere deference to my abstract judgment and feeling on slavery.

Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.