You were in a mood to quarrel. Please inform me once the inclination passes.

Your wit makes others witty.

Experience shows that the frequent use of severe punishment has never rendered a people better. The death of a criminal is a less effective means of restraining crimes than the permanent example of a man deprived of his liberty during the whole of his life to make amends for the injury he has done to the public.

I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.

Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.

What right can give anyone authority to inflict torture upon a citizen when it is still unknown whether he is innocent or guilty?

I sincerely want peace, not because I lack resources for war, but because I hate bloodshed.