Ideals Are Like Stars; You Will Not

Ideals Are Like Stars; You Will Not Succeed In Touching Them With Your Hands. But Like The Seafaring Man On The Desert Of Waters, You Choose Them As Your Guides, And Following Them You Will Reach Your Destiny.

The Senator From Wisconsin Cannot Frighten Me By Exclaiming, My Country, Right Or Wrong. In One Sense I Say So Too. My Country; And My Country Is The Great American Republic. My Country, Right Or Wrong; If Right, To Be Kept Right; And If Wrong, To Be Set Right.

I Will Make A Prophecy That May Now Sound Peculiar. In Fifty Years Lincoln's Name Will Be Inscribed Close To Washington's On This Republic's Roll Of Honor.

Tis Not, 'my Country Right Or Wrong'; Tis, 'my Country, That Which Is Right To Be Kept Right, That Which Is Wrong To Be Set Right'

I Confidently Trust That The American People Will Prove Themselves ... Too Wise Not To Detect The False Pride Or The Dangerous Ambitions Or The Selfish Schemes Which So Often Hide Themselves Under That Deceptive Cry Of Mock Patriotism: "our Country, Right Or Wrong!" They Will Not Fail To Recognize That Our Dignity, Our Free Institutions And The Peace And Welfare Of This And Coming Generations Of Americans Will Be Secure Only As We Cling To The Watchword Of True Patriotism: "our Country - When Right To Be Kept Right; When Wrong To Be Put Right."