It will be remembered that the Abolitionists were never strongly
national in sentiment. In certain respects they remind one of the
extreme "internationals" of to-day. Their allegiance was not first of
all to Society, nor to governments, but to abstract ideas. For all such
attitudes in political science, Lincoln had an instinctive aversion. He
was permeated always, by his sense of the community, of the
obligation to work in terms of the community. Even the prejudices, the
shortsightedness of the community were things to be considered, to be
dealt with tenderly. Hence his unwillingness to force reforms upon a
community not ripe to receive them. In one of his greatest speeches
occurs the dictum: "A universal feeling whether well or ill-founded, can
not be safely disregarded."(17) Anticipating such ideas, he made in his
Clay oration, a startling denunciation of both the extreme factions of

"Those (Abolitionists) who would shiver into fragments the union of
these States, tear to tatters its now 'venerated Constitution, and even
burn the last copy of the Bible rather than slavery should continue a
single hour; together with all their more halting sympathizers, have
received and are receiving their just execration; and the name and
opinion and influence of Mr. Clay are fully and, as I trust, effectually
and enduringly arrayed against them. But I would also if I could, array
his name, opinion and influence against the opposite extreme, against
a few, but increasing number of men who, for the sake of perpetuating
slavery, are beginning to assail and ridicule the white man's charter of
freedom, the declaration that 'all men are created free and equal.'"(18)

In another passage he stated what he conceived to be the central
inspiration of Clay. Had he been thinking of himself, he could not
have foreshadowed more exactly the basal drift of all his future as a
statesman: