#despotism

As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy. ↗

— Abraham Lincoln

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#bigotry #despotism #equality #hypocrisy #know-nothings

Universal suffrage is the only guarantee against despotism. ↗

— May Wright Sewall

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#despotism #guarantee #only #suffrage #universal

The doctrine of blind obedience and unqualified submission to any human power, whether civil or ecclesiastical, is the doctrine of despotism, and ought to have no place among Republicans and Christians. ↗

— Angelina Grimke

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#any #blind #blind obedience #christians #civil