Great men Quote by Paul Johnson
““Lincoln could easily have used the excuse of Seward’s incapacity to avoid consulting him at all. But that was not his way. He invariably did the right thing, however easily it might be avoided. Of how many other great men can that be said?115””
About This Quote
Source Book: A History of the United States, 1995
Lincoln chose to consult Seward despite inconvenience, showing commitment to principle over ease, a rare trait among leaders.
In simple terms: Lincoln consulted Seward despite difficulty, showing principled leadership.
Key Takeaway
Value integrity over convenience.
Themes
leadership
principle
historical
Mood
respectful
inspirational
Type
historical
motivational
When to use this quote
- government negotiations
- crisis management
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
integrity
decision‑making
political courage
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you do when principle conflicts with ease?
- Can you identify modern examples of similar courage?
A Different Perspective
Leaders may face pressure to avoid difficult choices.
![“The Salem [witch] trials…can be seen as an example of the propensity of the American people to be convulsed by spasms of self-righteous rage against enemies, real or imaginary, of their society and way of living. Hence the parallels later drawn between Salem in 1692 and the “Red Scare” of 1919-20…” quote by Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/67d/paul-johnson-4585_american-people_the-salem-witch-trials-can-be-seen-as-an_82157.jpg)
![“He [Augustine] admitted: 'I am the sort of man who writes because he has made progress, and who makes progress by writing.'” quote by Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/24c/paul-johnson-4585_writing_he-augustine-admitted-i-am-the-sort-of-m_146973.jpg)
