George Washington Quotes - Page 20

• I assure you very explicitly, that in my opinion the conscientious scruples of all men should be treated with great delicacy and tenderness: and it is my wish and desire, that the laws may always be extensively accommodated to them, as a due regard for the protection and essential interests of the nation may justify and permit.

  George Washington

  Men, Law, Wish

  George Washington (1837). “Speeches and messages to Congress, proclamations, and addresses”, p.169

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• Letters of friendship require no study.

  George Washington

  Friendship, Letters, Study

  George Washington (1855). “Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious”, p.240

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• If there was the same propensity in mankind for investigating the motives, as there is for censuring the conduct, of public characters, it would be found that the censure so freely bestowed is oftentimes unmerited and uncharitable.

  George Washington

  Character, Would Be, Found

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1839). “The Writings of George Washington: pt. IV. Letters official and private, from the beginning of his presidency to the end of his life: (v. 10) May, 1789-November, 1794. (v. 11) November, 1794-December, 1799”, p.97

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• Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.

  George Washington

  Ties, Europe, Causes

  George Washington, United States. President (1789-1797 : Washington) (1847). “Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States of America: Published in September, 1796”, p.11

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• The best way to have peace is to always be prepared to fight a way.

  George Washington

  Fighting, Way, Be Prepared

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• No pecuniary consideration is more urgent, than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt: on none can delay be more injurious, or an economy of time more valuable. ... Cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible: avoiding occasions of expence (and) avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt ... not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen which we ourselves ought to bear.

  George Washington

  Use, Credit, Delay

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• [L]eave nothing to the uncertainty of procuring a warlike apparatus at the moment of public danger.

  George Washington

  War, Moments, Danger

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1837). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts; with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.39

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• Our country's honor calls upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world.

  George Washington

  Country, Failure, Honor

  George Washington (1840). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private”, p.449

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• One of George Washington's main concerns was to make sure that his soldiers had adequate supplies of meat: A part of the army has been a week without any kind of flesh, and the rest three or four days. Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldiery, that they have not been ere this excited by their suffering to a general mutiny and dispersion.

  George Washington

  Kindness, Army, Soldier

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• I am just going. Have me decently buried; and do not let my body be put into the Vault in less than three days after I am dead.... Tis well.

  George Washington

  Three, Body, Vaults

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1837). “The writings of George Washington: being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes, and illustrations”, p.559

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• Good company will always be found much less expensive than bad.

  George Washington

  Good Company, Found, Company

  George Washington, Stephen Lucas (1999). “The Quotable George Washington: The Wisdom of an American Patriot”, p.41, Rowman & Littlefield

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• Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by it.

  George Washington

  4th Of July, Wish, Firsts

  "Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral and Religious".

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• I am persuaded, you will permit me to observe, that the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction.

  George Washington

  Political, Littles, Path

  George Washington (1800). “Legacies of Washington: being a collection of the most approved writings of the late General Washington, with an appendix containing a sketch of the life of this illustrious patriot, &c. &c. (By J. M. Williams.) [With an engraved portrait.]”, p.222

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• If to be venerated for benevolence, if to be admired for talents, if to be esteemed for patriotism, if to be beloved for philanthropy, can gratify the human mind, you must have the pleasing consolation to know that you have not lived in vain. And I flatter myself that it will not be ranked among the least grateful occurrences of your life to be assured that, so long as I retain my memory, you will be thought on with respect, veneration, and affection by your sincere friend.

  George Washington

  Memories, Grateful, Long

  George Washington (1948). “Basic Writings of George Washington”

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• Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.

  George Washington

  Choices, Brave, Enemy

  1776 General orders, 2 Jul. Quoted in J C Fitzpatrick (ed) Writings of George Washington (1932), vol.5.

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• Love is said to be an involuntary passion, and it is, therefore, contended that it cannot be resisted. This is true in part only, for like all things else, when nourished and supplied plentifully with ailment, it is rapid in its progress; but let these be withdrawn and it may be stifled in its birth or much stinted in its growth.

  George Washington

  Love, Passion, Growth

  Jay A. Parry, Andrew M. Allison, George Washington (1991). “The real George Washington”, Natl Center for Constitutional

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• It is yet to be decided whether the Revolution must ultimately be considered as a blessing or a curse: a blessing or a curse, not to the present age alone, for with our fate will the destiny of unborn millions be involved.

  George Washington

  Fate, Destiny, Blessing

  George Washington (1835). “The writings of George Washington: being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes, and illustrations”, p.442

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• [Avoid] likewise the accumulation of debt.

  George Washington

  Debt, Accumulation, Debt By Founding Fathers

  George Washington, Andrew Jackson (1862). “Washington's Farewell Address: The Proclamation of Jackson Against Nullification, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.9

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• Liberty is indeed little less than a name, where the Government is too feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction, to confine each member of society within the limits prescribed by the law, and to maintain all in the secure and tranquil enjoyme

  George Washington

  Government, Law, Names

  George Washington (1838). “Monuments of Washington's patriotism: containing a fac simile of his publick accounts kept during the revolutionary war; and some of the documents connected with his military command and civil administration; together with an eulogium on the character of Washington, by W. Jackson”, p.15

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• Went to church and fasted all day.

  George Washington

  Church

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1834). “(v. 2) Comprising official letters relating to the French War, and private letters before the American Revolution”, p.486

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• Uniformity in the currency, weights, and measures of the United States is an object of great importance, and will, I am persuaded, be duly attended to.

  George Washington

  Science, Important, United States

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1838). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private”, p.9

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• Your late purchase of an estate in the colony of Cayenne, with a view to emancipating the slaves on it, is a generous and noble proof of your humanity. Would to God a like spirit would diffuse itself generally into the minds of the people of this country; but I despair of seeing it.

  George Washington

  Country, Views, People

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1835). “Writings: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts”, p.163

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• Unwilling am I, in the evening of a life nearly consumed in public cares, to quit a peaceful abode for an Ocean of difficulties

  George Washington

  Ocean, Peaceful, Care

  George Washington (1835). “The writings of George Washington: being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes, and illustrations”, p.488

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• When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not well, blame not him that did it.

  George Washington

  Men, Doe, Succeed

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1834). “The Writings of George Washington: pt. I. Official letters relating to the French war, and private letters before the American revolution: March, 1754-May, 1775”, p.413

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• When Men are irritated, and the Passions inflamed, they fly hastily and cheerfully to Arms; but after the first emotions are over, to expect, among such People, as compose the bulk of an Army, that they are influenced by any other principles than those of Interest, is to look for what never did, and I fear never will happen

  George Washington

  Passion, Army, Men

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1839). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private”, p.111

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