I must protest that I would never seek foreign conflicts just to go over domestic difficulties; that would be frivolous. I was speaking of conflicts that we could not avoid, even though we do not seek them.

A statesman... must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment.

Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

Better pointed bullets than pointed words.

A really great man is known by three signs: generosity in the design, humanity in the execution, moderation in success.

It is the destiny of the weak to be devoured by the strong.

I have found that nothing so deceives your adversaries as telling them the truth.