The correct answer to this open question is the following.
This quote was made by United States President Abraham Lincoln. What he meant with this quote was that the US federal government had to make an important decision against the possibility of Secession in the Union. Lincoln was against secession because it could destroy American democracy. He meant that the government should be too strong to stand for the liberties of Americans and to enforce the law that was applied to all, or, on the other hand, the government should accept concessions to southern states -against its will- to avoid further problems and crisis.
This Lincoln speech was delivered to Congress on July 4, 1861.
