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Rufus Choate

Rufus Choate Quotes

Lawyer

Rufus Choate was a distinguished American lawyer celebrated for his exceptional oratorical abilities and legal acumen. Born on October 1, 1799, in Somersworth, New Hampshire, he passed away on July 13, 1859, in Boston, Massachusetts. Choate's career spanned several decades, during which he emerged as one of the most influential figures in American law.

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Famous Rufus Choate Quotes

“Its Constitution--the glittering and sounding generalities of natural right which make up the Declaration of Independence.”

Natural Constitution Independence Declaration Declaration Of Independence Oratory Generalities

Author:Rufus Choate

“The final end of government is not to exert restraint but to do good.”

Ends Government Finals Restraint

Book:Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“There was a state without king or nobles; there was a church without a bishop; there was a people governed by grave magistrates which it had selected, and by equal laws which it had framed.”

People States Law Church Kings Equal Graves Bishops Selected Framed Magistrates

Book:The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“All that happens in the world of Nature or Man, - every war; every peace; every hour of prosperity; every hour of adversity; every election; every death ; every life; every success and every failure, - all change, - all permanence, - the perished leaf; the unutterable glory of stars, - all things speak truth to the thoughtful spirit.”

Men World War Happens Spirit Speak Stars Hours Glory All Things Adversity Election Prosperity Thoughtful Leafs Speak The Truth Permanence

Book:The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“Mathematics may, be briefly defined as the science of quantities, and is one of the most important of disciplining studies which engage the practical student.”

May Important Study Students Mathematics Practicals Defined Quantity

Author:Rufus Choate

“You don't want a diction gathered from the newspapers, caught from the air, common and unsuggestive; but you want one whose every word is full-freighted with suggestion and association, with beauty and power.”

Want Common Air Caught Newspapers Association Preaching Suggestions Diction

Author:Rufus Choate

“Knowledge is power as well as fame.”

Wells Knowledge Fame Knowledge Is Power

Book:Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“Power, carried to extremes, is always liable to reaction.”

Power Extremes Reactions Liable

Author:Rufus Choate

“Anything more low, obscene, feculent, the manifold heaving's of history have not cast up. We shall come to the worship of onions, cats and things vermiculite.”

Worship Lows Cat Casts Onions Obscene Manifold

Author:Rufus Choate

“We join ourselves to no party that does not carry the flag and I keep step to the music of the Union.”

Doe Party Steps Unions Patriotism Flags

Book:The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“Happy is he who has laid up in his youth, and held fast in all fortune, a genuine and passionate love of reading.”

Reading Youth Fortune Passionate Genuine Literacy Passionate Love Love Of Reading

Author:Rufus Choate

“A book is the only immortality.”

Book Reading Immortality

Author:Rufus Choate

“Neither irony nor sarcasm is argument.”

Argument Irony Sarcasm

Author:Rufus Choate

“The courage of New England was the courage of conscience. It did not rise to that insane and awful passion, the love of war for itself.”

War Passion Conscience England Insane Awful New England

Book:The Political Writings of Rufus Choate

Source: The Political Writings of Rufus Choate

“No lawyer can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.”

Lawyer Ignorant Bible Study

Author:Rufus Choate

“We have built no temple but the Capitol. We consult no common oracle but the Constitution.”

Common Built Constitution Temples Capitol Oracles

Book:Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“I will look, your Honor, and endeavor to find a precedent, if you require it; though it would seem to be a pity that the Court should lose the honor of being the first to establish so just a rule.”

Ifs Should Firsts Looks Seems Law Loses Honor Court Pity Endeavor Precedent Your Honor

Book:Memoir. Lectures and addresses

Source: Memoir. Lectures and addresses

“Appropriated to justice, to security, to reason, to restraint; where there is no respect of persons; where will is nothing and power is nothing and numbers are nothing, and all are equal and all secure before the law.”

Persons Reason Law Justice Numbers Security Equal Equality Secure Restraint No Respect

Book:Addresses and Orations of Rufus Choate

Source: Addresses and Orations of Rufus Choate

About the Author

Born: October 1, 1799
Died: July 13, 1859
Known for: Lawyer
Quotes: 18

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Books & Sources

Memoir. Lectures and addressesRelated source material

The Works of Rufus Choate, with a Memoir of His Life: Memoir. Lectures and addressesRelated source material

Addresses and Orations of Rufus ChoateRelated source material

The Political Writings of Rufus ChoateRelated source material

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