Charles Francis Adams, Sr. famous quotes

Last updated: Sep 5, 2024

Failure seems to be regarded as the one unpardonable crime, success as the all-redeeming virtue, the acquisition of wealth as the single worthy aim of life. Ten years ago such revelations as these of the Erie Railway would have sent a shudder through the community, and would have placed a stigma on every man who had had to do them. Now they merely incite others to surpass by yet bolder outrages and more corrupt combinations.
-- Charles Francis Adams, Sr.

#Men #Years #Community
It is so very easy and so very pleasant, too, to read only books which lead to nothing, light and interesting books, and the more the better, that it is almost as difficult to wean ourselves from it as from the habit of chewing tobacco to excess, or of smoking the whole time, or of depending for stimulus upon tea or coffee or spirits.
-- Charles Francis Adams, Sr.

#Coffee #Book #Light
All equally see in the convulsion in America an era in the history of the world, out of which must come in the end a general recognition of the right of mankind to the produce of their labor and the pursuit of happiness.
-- Charles Francis Adams, Sr.

#Pursuit Of Happiness #America #World
More than all, and above all, [George] Washington was master of himself. If there be one quality more than another in his character which may exercise a useful control over the men of the present hour, it is the total disregard of self when in the most elevated positions for influence and example.
-- Charles Francis Adams, Sr.

#Character #Exercise #Men
In this country men seem to live for action as long as they can and sink into apathy when they retire.
-- Charles Francis Adams, Sr.

#Country #Retirement #Long

I cannot understand how any man or woman can believe in the Lord's coming and not be a missionary, or at least committed to the work of missions with every power of his being.
Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose, But young men think it is, and we were young.
Ale, man, ale's the stuff to drink for fellows whom it hurts to think.
You either get the point of Africa or you don't. What draws me back year after year is that it's like seeing the world with the lid off.
I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old.
I always thought the name of Utahâ€™s major newspaper was some sort of weird misspelling of the word â€œdesert.â€ But no, Deseret is the â€œland of the honeybee,â€ according to the Book of Mormon. I guess I should have figured they would have caught a typo in the masthead after 154 years.
In 1917 European history, in the old sense, came to an end. World history began. It was the year of Lenin and Woodrow Wilson, both of whom repudiated the traditional standards of political behaviour. Both preached Utopia, Heaven on Earth. It was the moment of birth for our contemporary world.
A man who has made up his mind on a given subject twenty-five years ago and continues to hold his political opinions after he has been proved to be wrong is a man of principle; while he who from time to time adapts his opinions to the changing circumstances of life is an opportunist.
And in this community, as in all others, the Golden Rule still applies - we must be act toward other nations as we would have them act towards America.
I want everyone to keep the property that he has acquired for himself according to the principle:benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual. But the state should retain supervision and each property owner should consider himself appointed by the state. It is his duty not to use his property against the interests of others among his own people. This is the crucial matter. The Third Reich will always retain its right to control the owners of property.

Charles Francis Adams, Sr. famous quotes

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