The Constitution is not a suicide pact.

I am absent altogether too much to be a suitable instructor for a law-student. When a man has reached the age that Mr. Widner has,and has already been doing for himself, my judgment is, that he reads the books for himself without an instructor. That is precisely the way I came to the law.

We cannot escape history.

Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.

Whenever there is a conflict between human rights and property rights, human rights must prevail.

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.

Let no young man choosing the law for a calling for a moment yield to the popular belief -- resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer.