“His duty is to administer the present Government as it came to his hands and to transmit it unimpaired by him to his successor.”

—  Abraham Lincoln

1860s, First Inaugural Address (1861)
Context: The Chief Magistrate derives all his authority from the people, and they have referred none upon him to fix terms for the separation of the States. The people themselves can do this if also they choose, but the Executive as such has nothing to do with it. His duty is to administer the present Government as it came to his hands and to transmit it unimpaired by him to his successor.

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Abraham Lincoln 618
16th President of the United States 1809–1865

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