Charles Sumner famous quotes

Give me the money that has been spent in war and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace.
-- Charles Sumner

#Kings #Queens #Children

From the beginning of our history the country has been afflicted with compromise. It is by compromise that human rights have been abandoned.
-- Charles Sumner

#Country #Rights #Political

If a man has done evil in his life, he must not be complimented in marble.
-- Charles Sumner

#Men #Evil #Done

By the Law of Slavery, man, created in the image of God, is divested of the human character, and declared to be a mere chattel.
-- Charles Sumner

#Character #Men #Law

Let the bugles sound the Truce of God to the whole world forever.
-- Charles Sumner

#Peace #Forever #Sound

The press, watchful with more than the hundred eyes of Argus, strong with more than the hundred arms of Briareus, not only guards all the conquests of civilization, but leads the way to future triumphs.
-- Charles Sumner

#Strong #Eye #Civilization

I am without religious feeling.
-- Charles Sumner

#Religious #Feelings #Atheism

The thought of going abroad makes my heart leap.
-- Charles Sumner

#Heart #My Heart #Leap

Without security, civilization is cramped and dwarfed. Without security, there can be no freedom. Nor shall I say too much, when I declare that security, guarded of course by its offspring, freedom, is the true end and aim of government.
-- Charles Sumner

#Freedom #Government #Civilization

Without knowledge there can be no sure progress. Vice and barbarism are the inseparable companions of ignorance. Nor is it too much to say that, except in rare instances, the highest virtue is attained only through intelligence.
-- Charles Sumner

#Ignorance #Progress #Vices

A nation cannot afford to do a mean thing.
-- Charles Sumner

#Mean #Meanness

Moral excellence is the bright consummate flower of all progress.
-- Charles Sumner

#Flower #Excellence #Progress

The highest greatness, surviving time and stone, is that which proceeds from the soul of man. Monarchs and cabinets, generals and admirals, with the pomp of court and the circumstance of war, in the lapse of time disappear from sight; but the pioneers of truth, though poor and lowly, especially those whose example elevates human nature, and teaches the rights of man, so that "a government of the people, by the people, for the people, may not perish from the earth;" such a harbinger can never be forgotten, and their renown spreads co-extensive with the cause they served so well.
-- Charles Sumner

#War #Greatness #Men

Whatever may be the temporary applause of men, or the expressions of public opinion, it may be asserted without fear of contradiction, that no true and permanent fame can be founded, except in labors which promote the happiness of mankind.
-- Charles Sumner

#Men #Expression #Public Opinion

The slave power dares anything, and it can be conquered only by the united masses of the people. From Congress to the people, I appeal.
-- Charles Sumner

#People #Slavery #Congress

The Senator from South Carolina has read many books of chivalry, and believes himself a chivalrous knight, with sentiments of honor and courage. Of course he has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows, and who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight I mean the harlot, Slavery. For her, his tongue is always profuse in words.
-- Charles Sumner

#Believe #Book #Mean

Give me the centralism of liberty; give me the imperialism of equal rights.
-- Charles Sumner

#Rights #Giving #Liberty

No true and permanent fame can be founded, except in labors which promote the happiness of mankind.
-- Charles Sumner

#Fame #Mankind #Labor

The true grandeur of humanity is in moral elevation, sustained, enlightened and decorated by the intellect of man
-- Charles Sumner

#Men #Humanity #Moral

The age of chivalry has gone; the age of humanity has come.
-- Charles Sumner

#Justice #Humanity #Age

War crushes with bloody heel all justice, all happiness, all that is Godlike in man. In our age there can be no peace that is not honorable; there can be no war that is not dishonorable.
-- Charles Sumner

#Crush #War #Men

War is a positive, precise and specific evil, of gigantic proportions ...making within the sphere of its influence all true grandeur impossible.
-- Charles Sumner

#War #Evil #Spheres

Can there be in our age any peace that is not honorable, any war that is not dishonorable?
-- Charles Sumner

#War #Age #Economics

I have never known a man who was sensual in his youth, who was high-minded when old.
-- Charles Sumner

#Men #Sensual #Youth

The true greatness of nations is in those qualities which constitute the greatness of the individual.
-- Charles Sumner

#Greatness #Quality #Individual

There are two sorts of pity: one is a balm and the other a poison; the first is realized by our friends, the last by our enemies.
-- Charles Sumner

#Two #Enemy #Poison

Whether the Union stands or falls, I believe the profession of arms will henceforth be more desirable and more respected than it has been hitherto.
-- Charles Sumner

#War #Fall #Believe

It's Christmas at Ground Zero The button has been pressed The radio Just let us know That this is not a test Everywhere the atom bombs are droppin It's the end of all humanity No more time for last minute shoppin' It's time to face your final destiny.
-- Charles Sumner

#Zero #Destiny #Humanity

The phrase public office is a public trust, has of last become common property.
-- Charles Sumner

#Office #Lasts #Phrases

Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.
-- Charles Sumner

#Truth #Men #Hands