H. L. Mencken Quotes

To those whose God is honor; only disgrace is a sin.

A clear conscience is a sure card.

Any person of honor chooses rather to lose his honor than to lose his conscience.

I prefer to do right and get no thanks than to do wrong and receive no punishment.

What is the most precious thing in the world? I see now that it is the knowledge that you have no part in injustice. Injustice is stronger than you, it always was and always will be, but let it not be done through you.

A good man with a good conscience doesn't walk so fast.

Every night I go over what I did in the day, in ethical or moral terms. Have I treated people properly? Did I tell the truth?

I learned one thing in Watergate: I was well-intentioned but rationalized illegal behavior. You cannot live your life other than walking in the truth. Your means are as important as your ends.

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

When about to commit a base deed, respect thyself, though there is no witness.

A man's vanity tells him what is honor, a man's conscience what is justice.

With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.

Who sows virtue reaps honor.

Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.

While I was thus carrying out my obligations, I never did anything with which my conscience would have to find fault

I'm accountable to my God, and I haven't done anything I'm embarrassed of.

My conscience is clean.

They're the last human beings susceptible to human shame. Politicians are the only people left for whom, occasionally, shame hurts them. Everyone else, we've sort of done away with it as a concept, and we're hurtling through space like animals, basically.

I think guilt can be good to a small degree, keep you on the right path.

Peace of mind just can't be bought. Trust me: Even if your conscience doesn't stop you from playing dirty to get what you want, once you get it, it will keep you from enjoying it. As my mother used to say, "A good conscience is God's eye." Which is why I always prefer a loss to an underhanded gain; the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time.

Without integrity and conscience we lose our freedom.

Honor is the moral conscience of the great.

My job is to do what's right. And that's what I'm going to try and do.

I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.

You know, at the end of the day, the only thing you have is trust and honor in this world. That's all you have. All you have is your reputation built on trust and your personal honor. When you don't have that anymore, well, you know, there you go. Trust was broken.