Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863

1. Four-score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
2. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.
3. We are met on a great battle field of that war.
4. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live.
5. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
6. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground.
7. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
8. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
9. It is for us the living, rather, to be here dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
10. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -
    • that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -
    • that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -
    • that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -
    • and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

1. Four score and some years ago (1913), our politicians brought forth on this continent, a new internal revenue, conceived in Tariffs, and dedicated to the proposition that all should be taxed equally.
2. Now we are engaged in a tax fiasco, testing whether that tax system, or any tax so deceived and so capitated, can long endure.
3. We are met on an ideological battlefield from whom to tax to fund the common wealth.
4. We have come to dedicate a greater portion of our lives for unending campaign welfare, enacted by the habitual politicians who traded tax favors so their re-elections might live.
5. It is altogether unfitting and improper that they should do this.
6. But, in a larger sense, they cannot get something for nothing--they cannot maintain--they cannot revive--this dying tax system, for the tax code is dead cold.
7. The lying politicians, living and dead, who subverted taxation have corrupted law-making ... far above our poor powers to outwork or outsave ... the legalized thievery of unearned economic privileges.
8. Our world will little by little die, not long to last, but we must never forget what the dishonest politicians did to humanity.
9. It is for us the voters, rather to be here witness to the legalized thievery by which the robbing politicians have thus far ignobly demeaned so many.
10. It is rather for the voters to be here dedicated to the great task remaining for all taxpayers--
    • that from those overtaxed we take increased devotion of that cause for which they gave the last full measure of deductions--
    • that voters here highly resolve that the suffering taxpayer shall not work in vain--
    • that this nation,  under God and under better democracy and capitalism, shall have a new birth of freedom--
    • and, that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.