Rutherford B. Hayes Quotes

Conscience is the authentic voice of God to you.

Do not let your bachelor ways crystallize so that you can't soften them when you come to have a wife and a family of your own.

He serves his party best who serves his country best.

I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).

I am less disposed to think of a West Point education as requisite for this business than I was at first. Good sense and energy are the qualities required.

I am not liked as a President by the politicians in office, in the press, or in Congress. But I am content to abide the judgment the sober second thought of the people.

In avoiding the appearance of evil, I am not sure but I have sometimes unnecessarily deprived myself and others of innocent enjoyments.

It is the desire of the good people of the whole country that sectionalism as a factor in our politics should disappear...'

Law without education is a dead letter. With education the needed law follows without effort and, of course, with power to execute itself; indeed, it seems to execute itself.

Let every man, every corporation, and especially let every village, town, and city, every county and State, get out of debt and keep out of debt. It is the debtor that is ruined by hard times.

Must swear off from swearing. Bad habit.

No person connected with me by blood or marriage will be appointed to office.

The bold enterprises are the successful ones. Take counsel of hopes rather than of fears to win in this business.

The filth and noise of the crowded streets soon destroy the elasticity of health which belongs to the country boy.

The independence of all political and other bother is a happiness.

The President of the United States should strive to be always mindful of the fact that he serves his party best who serves his country best.

The progress of society is mainly the improvement in the condition of the workingmen of the world.

The truth is, this being errand boy to one hundred and fifty thousand people tires me so by night I am ready for bed instead of soirees.

The unrestricted competition so commonly advocated does not leave us the survival of the fittest. The unscrupulous succeed best in accumulating wealth.

To vote is like the payment of a debt, a duty never to be neglected, if its performance is possible.

Universal suffrage is sound in principle. The radical element is right.

Universal suffrage should rest upon universal education. To this end, liberal and permanent provision should be made for the support of free schools by the State governments, and, if need be, supplemented by legitimate aid from national authority.

Unjust attacks on public men do them more good than unmerited praise.

Virtue is defined to be mediocrity, of which either extreme is vice.

As friends go it is less important to live.