 | Richard Striner - 2006 - 320 pages
...conferred upon me an unrestricted right to act officially upon this judgment and feeling." He continued: "I aver that, to this day, I have done no official act in mere deference" — note the qualifier, "mere" deference — "to my abstract judgment and feeling." He went on to admit... | |
 | 1891 - 988 pages
...view, that I might take an oath to get power, and break the oath in using the power. I understood, too, that in ordinary civil administration this oath...in many ways. And I aver that, to this day, I have 38o done no official act in mere deference to my abstract judgment and feeling on slavery. I did understand,... | |
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I took that I would, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. I could not take the office without taking the oath. Nor was it my view that I might take an oath to get power, and break the oath in... 
