Abe Lincoln said What?

Truncated conversation on Facebook, proving to reasonable lengths that this is NOT an Abe Lincoln quote.


OP:
Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes crimes out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded. – Abraham Lincoln


Cynic:
Please site the source for this prohibition quote!
Why won't you say when and where he said this?Oh yeah, that's because he didn't
Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), U.S. President.
Speech, 18 Dec. 1840, to Illinois House of Representatives
Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), U.S. President.
Speech, 18 Dec. 1840, to Illinois House of Representatives




OP:
‎"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."


Cynic:
See if you can find the whole speech.
But I still find more evidence that it is a false quote than a real one.


Researcher:
Here is one source that claims the quote a fake, and provides explanation as to its origin. http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/LincolnQuote/lpq0001.jpg This is the rest of the article (same webpage provided it)http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/LincolnQuote/LPQ002.jpg


Researcher
I have discovered my book is far from a complete selection. It includes nothing publicly spoken in suggested year. I will have to buy a new book. However, it does include this speech which does not necessarily refute the sentiment expressed by the quote, but doesn't really support it either. Maybe it's completely irrelevant: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/temperance.htm


Researcher:
If you trust the site, this url should take you to a search that states that the word "prohibition" does not occur within 40 characters of the word "strikes" which is in the second sentence of the above quote. http://tinyurl.com/d4bh9kc
Though it does occur within 80 characters: http://tinyurl.com/6s66ver, in this sentence: http://tinyurl.com/6offlne. I am searching the full collection online.
‎
Researcher:
Finally, in my search, of 80 mentions of the word prohibition, (as indicated by a word index search on the "quod.lib.umich.edu" site) all are in reference to Slavery. When Abraham Lincoln discusses alcohol, drinking, or anything connected, he uses the word temperance (instances also filtered using word index). Based on this evidence, and the above newspaper article, I am in agreement that this quote is uncharacteristic of Abraham Lincoln. Additionally, Lincoln's speeches are all titled based on their content. There remain no speeches cited simply "Speech." Finally, (if you trust the comprehensive nature of the source) this book contains an entry dated 17 Dec 1840 and the next dated 19 Dec 1840. Both were discussions in congress about Public Printing. A statement about prohibition during this period would have been incongruous. Thank you for the opportunity to run around and learn all this stuff.


Researcher:
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/lincoln1?rgn=main;view=fulltext