The first lesson in civics is that efficient government begins at home.
Charles Evans HughesRead
It is the essence of the institutions of liberty that it be recognized that guilt is personal and cannot be attributed to the holding of opinions or to mere intent in the absence of overt acts.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Guilt is an individual matter and should not be assigned based on beliefs or intentions alone.
In this quote, Charles Evans Hughes emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in the context of liberty and justice. He argues that individuals should not be held guilty for their opinions or intentions without clear evidence of wrongdoing. This perspective is crucial in upholding the principles of freedom and fairness in society, as it protects individuals from being unjustly punished for their thoughts or beliefs.
Themes
LibertyGuiltOpinionsJusticeResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on freedom of speech, this quote can highlight the importance of safeguarding individual opinions.
More from Charles Evans Hughes
All quotes →Dissents are appeals to the brooding spirit of the law, to the intelligence of another day.
Charles Evans HughesRead
While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.
Charles Evans HughesRead
The peril of this Nation is not in any foreign foe! We, the people, are its power, its peril, and its hope.
Charles Evans HughesRead
Every young man should aim at independence and should prepare himself for a vocation; above all, he should so manage his life that the steps of his progress are taken without improper aids; that he calls no one master, that he does not win or deserve the reputation of being a tool of others, and that if called to public service he may assume its duties with the satisfaction of knowing that he is free to rise to the height of his opportunity.
Charles Evans HughesRead
Our institutions were not devised to bring about uniformity of opinion; if they had we might well abandon hope. It is important to remember, as has well been said, 'the essential characteristic of true liberty is that under its shelter many different types of life and character and opinion and belief can develop unmolested and unobstructed.'
Charles Evans HughesRead
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