James Buchanan Quotes

Any division of the United States through secession of individual States from the Union inevitably must lead to civil wars.

In crises, the old is dying and the new has not been born. Hence, the revolts we are witnessing in Egypt and Tunisia, which may yet extend to other countries in the region, are full of uncertainties.

All civilization has from time to time become a thin crust over a volcano of revolution.

I have lately returned from Harpers Ferry, to which place I was suddenly called, on the 17th instant, by causes the most disturbing and destructive to the peace and safety of this State.

In politics experiments mean revolutions.

Revolutions breeds its own excesses.

The so called “Arab Spring” … is really a situation which is creating more threats so far than positive incentives.

Some civil wars are caused by one group within a country seeking its independence, while in other cases, the civil war itself leads one group or another to seek its independence as the solution to its problems.

The wind of revolutions is not tractable.

I think this is really a defining moment for the Arab world. The problem is, it is all going to be about blood, sweat and tears. In certain countries it may be just sweat, and in some countries sweat and tears, and in some countries, as you can see, a lot of blood. I think initial instability is something that we are all extremely nervous of.

Something is wanting, and something must be done, or we shall be involved in all the horror of failure, and civil war without a prospect of its termination.

Real change is always violent, but it may hurt a lot less than what's in place before the violence occurs.

All revolutions are violent revolutions.

It pains me to learn that things are even worse than is understood… A plot is forming to seize the Capitol on or before the 4th of March…

A nation can only regenerate itself in a bath of blood.

Change will always be violent.

In any conflict ... between the government and the seceding States, it is very important that the traitors shall be the aggressors, and that they be kept constantly and palpably in the wrong.

the central idea of secession, is the essence of anarchy.

Suppose we were to revolt from Great-Britain, declare ourselves Independent, and set up a Republic of our own-what would be the consequence? - I stand aghast at the prospect - my blood runs chill when I think of the calamities, the complicated evils that must ensue, and may be clearly foreseen.

There comes not seldom a crisis in the life of men, of nations, and of worlds, when the old forms seem ready to decay, and the old rules of action have lost their binding force. The evils of existing systems obscure the blessings that attend them; and, where reform is needed, the cry is raised for subversion

It is an admitted fact that our Union, to some extent, has already been dismembered; and that further dismemberment is impending and threatened. It is a fact that the country is in danger. It is our duty, if we can, to provide a remedy for this.

Broken eggs cannot be mended.... This government cannot much longer play a game in which it stakes all, and its enemies stake nothing. Those enemies must understand that they cannot experiment for ten years trying to destroy the government, and if they fail, still come back into the Union unhurt.

Politically, [Latin] America is the same as it is physically: the land of the earthquakes.

Each day threatens to engulf us in a veritable civil war... This is how things now stand gentlemen. The time has come for the Nation to make clear whether it desires to follow the way of the rebels [Kmer Rouge], or to continue in the path that I have traced.

We are not to hope that we shall end this controversy without the sharpest, sharpest conflicts. We are not to flatter ourselves, that popular resolves, popular harangues, popular acclamations, and popular vapor will vanquish our foes: let us consider, before we advance to those measures which must bring on the most trying and terrible struggle this country ever saw.