The image is from The National Interest.
Legend has it that one day, a member of the government criticized President Lincoln’s attitude towards the enemy. In fact, three of his cabinet members – William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates – were his former rivals for the Republican nomination for president.
“Why are you trying to be friends with them?” They asked, “You should try to destroy them.”
Lincoln said mildly, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”
The original text is from an online article and I translated it here to share with readers.
Chinese version:
一天，某議員批評林肯總統對敵人的態度。
「你為什麼要試圖跟他們做朋友呢？」
議員質問：「應當試圖消滅他們。」
「我難道不是在消滅敵人嗎」林肯溫和地說，
「當我使自己變成他們的朋友時」
