People must be taken as they are, and we should never try make them or ourselves better by quarreling with them.

Party is a body of men united, for promoting by their joint endeavours the national interest, upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed.

War is the matter which fills all history; and consequently the only, or almost the only, view in which we can see the external of political society is in a hostile shape: and the only actions to which we have always seen, and still see, all of them intent, are such as tend to the destruction of one another.

The moment that government appears at market, the principles of the market will be subverted.

It looks to me to be narrow and pedantic to apply the ordinary ideas of criminal justice to this great public contest. I do not know the method of drawing up an indictment against a whole people.

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver; and adulation is not of more service to the people than to kings.

Responsibility prevents crimes.