Joseph W. Bailey Quotes

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another.

Washington's entire honesty of mind and his fearless look into the face of all facts are qualities which can never go out of fashion and which we should all do well to imitate.

Truth of a modest sort I can promise you, and also sincerity. That complete, praiseworthy sincerity which, while it delivers one into the hands of one's enemies, is as likely as not to embroil one with one's friends.

It is astonishing what force, purity, and wisdom it requires for a human being to keep clear of falsehoods.

Mr. Lincoln has not character enough for integrity and truth.

Character is that quality of mind which makes truth-telling instinctive rather than strange.

Dare to be true. Nothing can need a lie: a fault which needs it most, grows two thereby.

Honesty will never break you.

Tell the truth and shame the devil.

Honesty is the best policy.

I always admired virtue - but I could never imitate it.

The greatest want of the world is the want of men - men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.

Honesty is wonderful, but I suspect it's also overrated.

Truth is handsomer than the affectation of love. Your goodness must have some edge to it, else it is none.

Few serve truth in truth because only few have the pure will to be just, and of those again very few have the strength to be just.

Honesty: The ability to resist small temptations.

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage.

Virtue must be valuable, if men and women of all degrees pretend to have it.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

I don't think lying has any ultimate justification. I don't think it ever leads to anything positive. The good fight to have is not to lie. That's one of the challenges in a way.

Nothing in our times has become so unattractive as virtue.

My pet peeve and my goal in life is to somehow get an adjective for 'integrity' in the dictionary. 'Truthful' doesn't really cover it, or 'genuine.' It should be like 'integritus.'

Don't lie if you don't have to.

I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he's wrong. Than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil.

Honesty is all you need.