Idaho Lincoln Institute

Looking to Lincoln for Principled Leadership, Direction and National Restoration

Well before the crisis of the American Civil War when when addressing our nation’s political institution and its position of prosperity, Abraham Lincoln predicted: “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, the First Republican President, signed the bill creating a “forever free” territory called Idaho. Today, Idaho is the 43rd state in a republic whose national government is approaching Lincoln’s suicidal tipping point. Facing the cumulative and emergent problems of modern day America, our nation has nearly lost the resolve, the direction and the process necessary to preserve our Union and its preeminence in the World.

The Idaho Lincoln Institute (“ILI”), founded by David H. Leroy, proposes to inform and inspire the re-adoption of fundamental, first principles to address the impasse and imbalance in our national dialog.

Using the words, ideas and examples of the Sixteenth President, the ILI proposes help chart a new course to orient and enliven the Idaho electorate as a rallying point for the rest of the Nation. A combination of stronger states, defined constitutional process, sound money, competitive capitalism and empowered individuals will be the elixir for many of modern America’s ills. Book Dave Leroy as a speaker at your next event!

See “About” to learn about our purpose and mission, along with a more detailed proposition statement.

See “Look to Lincoln on the Issues” for a list of Lincoln’s comments and positions which reflect upon ideas relevant to the issues facing America today.

  • Lincoln on Amending the Constitution

    “I wish now to submit a few remarks on the general proposition of amending the Constitution. As a general rule, I think we would much better let it alone. No slight occasion should tempt us to touch it. Better not take the first step, which may lead to a habit of altering it..."

  • Lincoln on Balancing the Budget

    “I would not borrow money. I am against an overwhelming, crushing system. Suppose, that at each session, congress shall first determine how much money can, for that year, be spared for improvements; then apportion that sum to the most important objects.”

  • Lincoln on "Career" Politicians

    “If ever American society and the United States Government are demoralized and overthrown, it will come from the voracious desire for office, this wriggle to live without toil, work, and labor, from which I am not free myself.”

  • Lincoln on Freedom

    “Let us readopt the Declaration of Independence, and with it the practices and policy which harmonize with it. Let all Americans – let all lovers of liberty everywhere join in the great and good work. If we do this, we shall not only save the Union, but we shall have so saved it as to make and keep it forever worthy of the saving.”

  • Lincoln on Immigration

    “I again submit to your consideration the expediency of establishing a system for the encouragement of immigration. There is still a great deficiency of laborers in many fields of industry, especially in agriculture.”

  • Lincoln on Informed Policy Positions

    “I deem it just to the country, to myself, to you, that I should see everything, hear everything, and have every light that can possibly be brought within my reach, to aid me before I shall speak officially, in order that when I do speak, I may have the best means of taking true and correct grounds.”

  • Lincoln on Limited Government

    “The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do for themselves, in their separate and individual capacities. In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interfere.”

  • Lincoln on Media Bias

    “Please pardon me for suggesting that if papers like yours which have heretofore garbled and misrepresented what I have said, will now fully and fairly place it before their readers, there can be no further misunderstanding.”

  • Lincoln on the National Debt

    “Time alone relieves a debtor nation, so long as its population increases faster than unpaid interest accumulates on its debt.”

  • Lincoln on the War Against Terror

    “Still let us be sanguine of a speedy, final triumph. Let us be quite sober. Let us diligently apply the means, never doubting that a just God, in his own time, will give us the rightful result.”

  • Lincoln on Voter Turnout

    “It is the people’s business – the election is in their hands; If they turn their backs to the fire and get scorched in the rear, they’ll find they have got to sit on the blisters.” & “It is not the qualified voters, but the qualified voters who choose to vote, that constitute the political power of the State.”

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