Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/241

 LINCOLN upon one or two of these minor topics upon Vv^hich the judge has spoken. He has read from my speech in Springfield in which I say that Does the judge say it can stand? I do not know whether he does or not. The judge does not seem to be attending to me just now, but I wouid like to know if it is his opinion that a house divided against itself can stand. If it is, then there is a question of veracity, not between him and me, but between the judge and an authority of a somewhat higher character. Now, my friends, I ask your attention to this matter for the purpose of saying something seriously. I know that the judge may readily enough agree with me that the maxim which was put forth by the Savior is true, but he may allege that I misapply it ; and the judge has a right to urge that in my application I do misapply it, and then I have a right to show that I do not misapply it. When he undertakes to say that because I think this nation, so far as the question of slavery is concerned, will all become one thing or all the other, I am in favor of bringing about a dead uniformity in the various States in all their institutions, he argues 3rroneously. The great variety of the local institutions in the States, springing from dif- ferences in the soil, differences in the face of the country, and in the climate, are bonds of union. They do not make '*a house divided against itself*' but they make a house united. 231
 * 'a house divided against itself can not stand."