Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Since someone mentioned Lincoln, here is an excerpt from his 2nd inaugural, one of my favorite quotes ( if i get it right, working from memory)
"....if every drop of blood drawn with the lash must be repaid by one drawn by the sword, what shall we say but, " The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether..." " The atonement was paid in the blood of the American Civil War