George Washington Quotes - Page 26

• I wish the constitution, which is offered, had been made more perfect; but I sincerely believe it is the best that could be obtained at this time. And, as a constitutional door is opened for amendment hereafter, the adoption of it, under the present circumstances of the Union, is in my opinion desirable.

  George Washington

  Believe, Doors, Perfect

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1847). “The Writings of George Washington: pt. III. Private letters from the time Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Army to that of his inauguration as president of the United States: December, 1783-April, 1789”, p.266

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• When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen; and we shall most sincerely rejoice with you in the happy hour when the establishment of American Liberty, upon the most firm and solid foundations shall enable us to return to our Private Stations in the bosom of a free, peacefully and happy Country.

  George Washington

  Country, Soldier, Liberty

  George Washington, Stephen Lucas (1999). “The Quotable George Washington: The Wisdom of an American Patriot”, p.90, Rowman & Littlefield

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• I am once more seated under my own vine and fig tree ... and hope to spend the remainder of my days in peaceful retirement, making political pursuits yield to the more rational amusement of cultivating the earth.

  George Washington

  Hope, Peace, Retirement

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson (1796). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”

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• Ours is a kind of struggle designed, I dare say, by Providence to try the patience, fortitude, and virtue of men. None, therefore, who is engaged in it, will suffer himself, I trust, to sink under difficulties, or be discouraged by hardships. If he cannot do as he wishes, he must do what he can.

  George Washington

  Struggle, Men, Suffering

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1834). “Writings: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts”, p.91

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• In his address of 19 September 1796, given as he prepared to leave office, President George Washington spoke about the importance of morality to the country's well-being: Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. . . . And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. . . . Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a Nation with its virtue?

  George Washington

  Country, Office, Support

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• There is a Destiny which has the control of our actions, not to be resisted by the strongest efforts of Human Nature.

  George Washington

  Destiny, Effort, Our Actions

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson (1769). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”, p.288

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• I shall never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign an office.

  George Washington

  Office, Politician, Refuse

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• It is a maxim, founded on the universal experience of mankind, that no nation is to be trusted farther than it is bound by its interest; and no prudent statesman or politician will venture to depart from it.

  George Washington

  Politics, Venture, Prudent

  George Washington (1834). “Correspondence and miscellaneous papers relating to the American revolution. June, 1775, to July, 1776 (v. 3); July, 1776, to July, 1777 (v. 4); July, 1777, to July, 1778 (v. 5); July, 1778, to March, 1780 (v. 6); March, 1780, to April, 1781 (v. 7); April, 1781, to December, 1783 (v. 8)”, p.110

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• The ways of Providence being inscrutable, and the justice of it not to be scanned by the shallow eye of humanity, nor to be counteracted by the utmost efforts of human power or wisdom, resignation, and as far as the strength of our reason and religion can carry us, a cheerful acquiescence to the Divine Will, is what we are to aim.

  George Washington

  Eye, Justice, Effort

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson, United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission (1944). “The writings of George Washington from the original manuscript sources, 1745-1799: prepared under the direction of the United States George Washington bicentennial commission and published by authority of Congress”

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• It rarely happens otherwise than that a thorough-faced coquette dies in celibacy, as a punishment for her attempts to mislead others, by encouraging looks, words, or actions, given for no other purpose than to draw men on to make overtures that they may be rejected.

  George Washington

  Men, May, Coquette

  George Washington (1908). “Letters and Addresses,”

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• In the discharge of this trust I will only say that I have, with good intentions, contributed toward the organization and administration of the Government the best exertions of which a very fallible judgment was capable.

  George Washington

  Government, Organization, Administration

  George Washington, John Jay, Jared Sparks (1850). “Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States of America”, p.16, New York : J. Wiley

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• Smaller societies must prepare the way for greater.

  George Washington

  Way, Greater

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson (1793). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”

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• Experience has taught us that men will not adopt and carry into execution measures the best calculated for their own good without the intervention of a coercive power.

  George Washington

  Men, Taught Us, Execution

  George Washington (1855). “Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious”, p.62

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• The duty of holding a Neutral conduct may be inferred, without any thing more, from the obligation which justice and humanity impose on every nation, in cases in which it is free to act, to maintain inviolate the relations of Peace and amity toward other Nations.

  George Washington

  Justice, Humanity, May

  George Washington, Andrew Jackson (1862). “Washington's Farewell Address: The Proclamation of Jackson Against Nullification, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.11

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• To me, it appears no unjust simile to compare the affairs of this great Continent to the mechanism of a clock, each state representing some one or other of the smaller parts of it which they are endeavoring to put in fine order without considering how useless & unavailing their labor is unless the great Wheel or Spring which is to set the whole in motion is also well attended to & kept in good order.

  George Washington

  Spring, Order, Useless

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson, United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission (1779). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”, p.301

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• It is not the mere study of the Law, but to become eminent in the profession of it, which is to yield honor and profit.

  George Washington

  Yield, Law, Honor

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1839). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts”, p.373

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• ... the benefit arising from moderate use of strong Liquor have been experienced in all Armies, and are not to be disputed.

  George Washington

  Strong, Army, Use

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson (1777). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”, p.73

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• The company in which you will improve most will be least expensive to you.

  George Washington

  Company, Expensive

  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.373

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• I rejoice in a belief that intellectual light will spring up in the dark corners of the earth; that freedom of enquiry will produce liberality of conduct; that mankind will reverse the absurd position that the many were, made for the few; and that they will not continue slaves in one part of the globe, when they can become freemen in another.

  George Washington

  Spring, War, Dark

  George Washington, Dorothy Twohig, William Wright Abbot (1987). “The Papers of George Washington: April-June 1789”

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• There never was a law yet made, I conceive, that hit the taste exactly of every man, or every part of the community; of course, if this be a reason for opposition, no law can be executed at all without force, and every man or set of men will in that case cut and carve for themselves; the consequences of which must be deprecated by all classes of men, who are friends to order, and to the peace and happiness of the country.

  George Washington

  Country, Cutting, Men

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1847). “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.440

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• We should amuse our evening hours of life in cultivating the tender plants, and bringing them to perfection, before they are transplanted to a happier clime.

  George Washington

  Children, Perfection, Evening

  George Washington (1858). “The Writings: 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.5

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• Should the States reject this excellent Constitution, the probability is, an opportunity will never again offer to cancel another in peacethe next will be drawn in blood.

  George Washington

  Peace, Opportunity, Blood

  Attributed to George Washington in the Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser (p. 3, column 1), November 14, 1787.

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• I am led to reflect how much more delightful to an undebauched mind is the task of making improvements on the earth, than all the vain glory which can be acquired from ravaging it by the most uninterrupted career of conquests.

  George Washington

  Garden, Careers, Mind

  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Peters (1847). “Letters on Agriculture from His Excellency, George Washington, President of the United States, to Arthur Young, Esq., F.R.S., and Sir John Sinclair, Bart., M.P.: With Statistical Tables and Remarks, by Thomas Jefferson, Richard Peters, and Other Gentlemen, on the Economy and Management of Farms in the United States”, p.24

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• From thinking proceeds speaking; thence to acting is often but a single step. But how irrevocable and tremendous!

  George Washington

  Thinking, Acting, Steps

  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.189

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• My death has not yet quite arrived, but it is near and inevitable as night follows day.

  George Washington

  Night, Inevitable

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