re, we needn't think. Those men who mistake their ignorance for
facts, never do think. You may say to me, "How far is it across this
room?" I say 100 feet. Suppose it is 105; have I committed any crime?
I made the best guess I could. You ask me about any thing; I examine it
honestly, and when I get through, what should I tell you--what I think
or what you think? What should I do?

There is a book put in my hands. They say "That is the Koran; that was
written by inspiration; read it." I read it. Chapter VII, entitled
"The Cow," chapter IX, entitled "The Bee," and so on. I read it. When
I get through with it, suppose I think in my heart and in my brain, "I
don't believe a word of it;" and you ask me, "What do you think of
it?" Now, admitting that I live in Turkey, and have a chance to get an
office, what should I say? Now, honor bright, should I just make a
clean breast of it and say "Upon my honor, I don't believe it?" Then
is it right for you to say "That fellow will steal--that fellow is a
dangerous man--he is a robber?" Now, suppose I read the book called
the bible (and I read it, honor bright), and when I get through with it
I make up my mind that book was written by men; and along comes the
preacher of my church, and he says "Did you read that book?" "I did."
"Do you think it is divinely inspired?" I say to myself, "Now if I say
it is not, they will never send me to Congress from this district on
earth." Now, honor bright, what ought I to do? Ought I to say, "I
have read it. I have been honest about it; don't believe it?" Now,
ought I to say that, if that is a real transcript of my mind, or ought
I to commence hemming and hawing and pretend that I do believe it, and
go away with the respect of that man, hating myself for a cringing
coward? Now which? For my part I would rather a man would tell me what
he honestly thinks, and he will preserve his manhood. I had rather be
a manly unbeliever than an unmanly believer. I think I will stand
higher at the judgment day, if there is one, and stand with as good a
chance to get my case dismissed without costs as a man who sneaks
through life pretending he believes what he does not. I tell you one
thing; there is going to be one free fellow in this world. I am going
to say my say, I tell you. I am going to do it kindly, I am going to
do it distinctly, but I am going to do it.

Now, if men have been slaves, what about women? Women have been the
slaves