I take the official oath today with no mental reservation and with no purpose to construe the constitution by any hypercritical rules. You can have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government; while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect and defend" it. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battle-field and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. In giving freedom to the slaves we assure freedom to the free--honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. Do not swap horses in the middle of the stream. You can fool part of the people all of the time, and all of the people part of the time; but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. The leading rule for the man of every calling is diligence; never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. I never let an idea escape, but write it on a piece of paper and put it in a drawer. In this way I sometimes save my best thoughts on a subject. Wealth is a superfluity of what we do not need. Come what will, I will keep faith with friend and foe. Faith in God is indispensable to successful statesmanship. God bless my mother; all I am or hope to be I owe to her. I will study and get ready and maybe my chance will come. Be sure you put your feet in the right place and then stand firm. And having thus chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear and with manly hearts. Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time. It is all in that one word--thorough. Let us strive on to finish the work we are in. When you can't remove an obstacle plow around it. The way for a young man to rise is to improve every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him. To add brightness to the sun or glory to the name of Washington is alike impossible. Let none attempt it. In solemn awe pronounce the name and in its naked deathless splendor leave it shining on. O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring. But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.