Lyman Beecher Quotes

The perception of the right of every man to do pretty much as he pleases…. [which will produce] a general profligacy and corruption such as this country has never known.

There are certain seasons in the course of human affairs, when Genius, Virtue, and Patriotism, seems to nod over the vices of the times.

The accumulation of numbers always augments in some measure moral corruptions, and the consequences to health of the various vices incident thereto, are well known.

How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!

It is a proof of our natural bias to evil, that gain is slower and harder than loss in all things good; but in all things bad getting is quicker and easier than getting rid of.

All institutions are prone to corruption and to the vices of their members.

What is the cause of the great overflow of Vice in this age

Never will there be grief enough over the corruption of morals so extensively increasing and promoted by irreligious and obscene writings, theatrical spectacles and meretricious houses established almost everywhere; by other depraved arts and monstrous portents of every error disseminated in all directions; by the abominable impurities of all vices and crimes growing constantly and the deadly virus of unbelief and indifferentism spread far and wide; by contempt for ecclesiastical authority

Vices make very good patriots?

Political devicivness is a vice, and like many other vices, it is very attractive.

He that's ungrateful has no guilt but one; All other crimes may pass for virtues in him.

Vice, like disease, floats in the atmosphere.

No one in Germany laughs at vice, nor do they call it the fashion to corrupt and to be corrupted.

Vice is its own reward.

Other vices make their own way; this makes way for all vices. He that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice.

The spirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless... From the conclusion of this war we shall be going downhill. It will not then be necessary to resort every moment to the people for support. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to affect a due respect for their rights. The shackles, therefore, will be made heavier and heavier, till our rights shall revive or expire in a convulsion.

Where a reputation for intolerance is more feared than a reputation for vice itself, all manner of evil may be expected to flourish.

It is but a step from companionship to slavery when one associates with vice.

A depraved culture supports a depraved politics and vice versa.

There is no truth which personal vice will not distort.

Countries are like fruit-the worms are always inside.

There is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy.

Vice knows [its] ugly, so [it] puts on [a] mask.

It is unnatural that a pure stream should flow from a foul fountain its vices are but a continuation of the vices of its origin. A man of moral honor and good political principles, cannot submit to the mean drudgery and disgraceful arts, by which such elections are carried. To be a successful candidate, he must be destitute of the qualities that constitute a just legislator: and being thus disciplined to corruption it is not to be expected that the representative should be better than the man.