Henry Ward Beecher Quotes About Liberty

• If one, then, asks me the meaning of our flag, I say to him, It means just what Concord and Lexington meant, what Bunker Hill meant; it means the whole glorious Revolutionary War, which was, in short, the rising up of a valiant young people against an old tyranny, to establish the most momentous doctrine that the world had ever known - the right of men to their own selves and to their liberties.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Veterans Day, Mean, Men

  "Freedom and War: Discourses on Topics Suggested by the Times".

• The real democratic American idea is, not that every man shall be on a level with every other man, but that every man shall have liberty to be what God made him, without hindrance.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Real, War, Men

  Henry Ward Beecher (1873). “The Original Plymouth Pulpit: Sermons of Henry Ward Beecher in Plymouth Church, Brooklyn”, p.509

• A traitor is good fruit to hang from the boughs of the tree of liberty.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Tree, Liberty, Fruit

  Henry Ward Beecher (1858). “Life Thoughts”, p.60

• If one asks me the meaning of our flag, I say to him: It means all that the Constitution of our people, organizing for justice, for liberty, and for happiness, meant. Our flag carries American ideas, American history and American feelings. This American flag was the safeguard of liberty. It was an ordinance of liberty by the people, for the people. That it meant, that it means, and, by the blessing of God, that it shall mean to the end of time!

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Mean, Blessing, Ideas

• Liberty is the soul's right to breathe and, when it cannot take a long breath, laws are girdled too tight.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Law, Long, Soul

  Henry Ward Beecher (1858). “Life Thoughts”, p.42

• Our flag means all that our fathers meant in the Revolutionary War. It means all that the Declaration of Independence meant. It means justice. It means liberty. It means happiness.... Every color means liberty. Every thread means liberty. Every star and stripe means liberty.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Stars, Father, War

• The tidal wave of God's providence is carrying liberty throughout the globe.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Liberty, Wave, Providence

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

• God has intended the great to be great and the little to be little ... The trade unions, under the European system, destroy liberty ... I do not mean to say that a dollar a day is enough to support a workingman ... not enough to support a man and five children if he insists on smoking and drinking beer. But the man who cannot live on bread and water is not fit to live! A family may live on good bread and water in the morning, water and bread at midday, and good bread and water at night!

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Morning, Children, Humorous

• There is no liberty to men whose passions are stronger than their religious feelings; there is no liberty to men in whom ignorance predominates over knowledge; there is no liberty to men who know not how to govern themselves.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Religious, Passion, Ignorance

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

• Law represents the effort of man to organize society; governments, the efforts of selfishness to overthrow liberty.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Selfish, Men, Law

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

• The things required for prosperous labor, prosperous manufactures, and prosperous commerce are three. First, liberty; second, liberty; third, liberty.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Liberty, Three, Firsts

  Henry Ward Beecher (1971). “American rebellion: report of the speeches of Henry Ward Beecher”, Ayer Co Pub

• Vigilance is not only the price of liberty, but of success of any sort.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Liberty, Vigilance, Eternal Vigilance

• Liberty is the soul's right to breathe.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Soul, Democracy, Liberty

  Henry Ward Beecher (1858). “Life Thoughts”, p.42

• There are multitudes of persons whose idea of liberty is the right to do what they please, instead of the right of doing that which is lawful and best.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Ideas, Liberty, Please

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

• Like the cellar-growing vine is the Christian who lives in the darkness and bondage of fear. But let him go forth, with the liberty of God, into the light of love, and he will be like the plant in the field, healthy, robust, and joyful.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Christian, Light, Healthy

  Henry Ward Beecher (1858). “Life Thoughts”, p.157

• There is no liberty to men who know not how to govern themselves.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Men, Liberty, Knows

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

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