Government began in tyranny and force, began in the feudalism of the soldier and bigotry of the priest; and the ideas of justice and humanity have been fighting their way, like a thunderstorm, against the organized selfishness of human nature. Wendell Phillips More Quotes by Wendell Phillips More Quotes From Wendell Phillips I think the first duty of society is justice. Wendell Phillips justiceinspirationalfirsts What is defeat? Nothing but education, nothing but the first step to something better. Wendell Phillips leadershipinspirationallife Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty; power is ever stealing from the many to the few. The manna of popular liberty must be gathered each day or it is rotten. The living sap of today outgrows the dead rind of yesterday. The hand entrusted with power becomes, either form human depravity or esprit de corps, the necessary enemy of the people. Only by continued oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot; only by unintermitted agitation can a people be sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity. Wendell Phillips yesterdayhandspeople Physical bravery is an animal instinct; moral bravery is much higher and truer courage. Wendell Phillips accountabilitybraveryanimal Governments exist to protect the rights of minorities. The loved and the rich need no protection: they have many friends and few enemies. Wendell Phillips politicalgovernmentrights Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty; power is ever stealing from the many to the few. Wendell Phillips esprit-de-corpsstealingliberty There is nothing stronger than human prejudice. Wendell Phillips strongerprejudicehumans How prudently most men creep into nameless graves, while now and then one or two forget themselves into immortality. Wendell Phillips forgetmentwo Revolutions are not made: they come. A revolution is as natural a growth as an oak. It comes out of the past. Its foundations are laid far back. Wendell Phillips foundationgrowthpast The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future. Wendell Phillips harvestheritagepast What gunpowder did for war the printing press has done for the mind. Wendell Phillips readingwarbook My advice to a young man seeking deathless fame would be to espouse an unpopular cause and devote his life to it. Wendell Phillips would-beadvicemen No free people can lose their liberties while they are jealous of liberty. But the liberties of the freest people are in danger when they set up symbols of liberty as fetishes, worshipping the symbol instead of the principle it represents. Wendell Phillips jealousfreedompeople Truth is one forever absolute, but opinion is truth filtered through the moods, the blood, the disposition of the spectator. Wendell Phillips truthforeverblood The labor movement means just this: It is the last noble protest of the American people against the power of incorporated wealth. Wendell Phillips labour-movementmeanpeople Difference of religion breeds more quarrels than difference of politics. Wendell Phillips quarrelsdifferencesreligion Debt is the fatal disease of republics, the first thing and the mightiest to undermine governments and corrupt the people. Wendell Phillips tyrantsgovernmentpeople If there is anything in the universe that can't stand discussion, let it crack. Wendell Phillips discussioncracksifs Common sense does not ask an impossible chessboard, but takes the one before it and plays the game. Wendell Phillips common-sensegamesplay Today it is not big business that we have to fear. It is big government. Wendell Phillips bigsgovernmenttoday
