Edmund Burke Quotes

The principal end a prince was made for is to take care, that every one should have his rights. This ought to engage him to study not only the science of those great civilians, who ascend to the first principles of law, which regulate human society, and are the basis as it were of government and politics; but also that part of the law, which descends to the affairs of particular persons. This branch is generally left for the gentlemen of the long robe, and not admitted into the education of princes, though they are every day to pass judgment upon the fortunes, liberties, lives, honor, and reputation of their subjects. Princes are continually talked to of valour and liberality; but if justice do not regulate these two qualities, they degenerate into the most odious vices. Without justice valour does nothing but destroy; and liberality is only a foolish profuseness. Justice keeps all in order, and contains within bounds him, who distributes it, as well as those, to whom it is distributed.

I'd like to be remembered as somebody who tried to promote justice.

One can not be just if one is not humane.

It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do.

Fairness to all

Let us consider the reason of the case. For nothing is law that is not reason.

Law alone cannot make men see right.

[Discussing the American colonies] In no country perhaps in the world is the law so general a study. The profession itself is numerous and powerful; and in most provinces it takes the lead. The greater number of the deputies sent to the congress were lawyers. But all who read, and most do read, endeavour to obtain some smattering in that science ...

From the time of the North Briton of the unprincipled Wilkes, a notion has been entertained that the moral spine in Scotland is more flexible than in England. The truth however is, that an elementary difference exists in the public feelings of the two nations quite as great as in the idioms of their respective dialects. The English are a justice-loving people, according to charter and statute; the Scotch are a wrong-resenting race, according to right and feeling: and the character of liberty among them takes its aspect from that peculiarity.

The law exists to express our values.

It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.

There is such a thing as justice which is not necessarily the same thing as law.

… freemen contending in the most righteous cause.

I believe in justice and truth, without which there would be no basis for human hope

A human society obeys the dictates of reason and is guided and governed by a respect for justice.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

In the end I think theatre has only one subject: justice.

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

Fairness is what justice really is.

Be just before you are generous.

Ethics is in origin the art of recommending to others the sacrifices required for cooperation with oneself.

Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others.

The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world.

The essence of justice is mercy.

In the matter of justice, all should be equal in your eyes.