Question

i need help finding the meaning please

Answer 1

By general law, life and limb must be protected; yet often a limb must be amputated to save a life, but a life is never wisely given to save a limb. I felt that measures, otherwise unconstitutional, might become lawful by becoming indispensable to the preservation of the Constitution through the preservation of the nation. Right or wrong, I assumed this ground, and now avow it. I could not feel that to the best of my ability I had even tried to preserve the Constitution, if, to save slavery, or any minor matter, I should permit the wreck of government, country, and Constitution altogether.

Answer 2

WOW! ok here goes

Answer 3

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/hodges.htm
I'm not done

Answer 4

http://openstudy.com/study#/updates/5247c756e4b02491552cecee
another user answered this: ok what Lincoln was trying to say is by eliminating the bad would be saving the good. Then this is confusing, the limb and life are examples, you say um a shark is near you, so you have to save your life but you can't save your life if your just saving your limb. Doesn't make sense . His letter was about slavery, good against bad

Answer 5

It makes no sense, Lincoln asserts, to uphold the Constitution if doing so means that the nation that constitution serves will be lost.
http://ashbrook.org/publications/oped-knippenberg-09-constitution-day/

Answer 6

Lincoln is saying that he cannot let the country be destroyed only to save the constitution. this is how he relates it back to amputating a limb to save a life

Answer 7

does that make sense?

Answer 8

umm... okhay i seee!!!