“We are all of us Americans and nothing else.”

New York Times
September 10, 1917

“There can be no greater misfortune for a free nation than to find itself under incapable leadership when confronted by a great crisis.”

Speech at Cooper Union, New York City
November 3, 1916

“I entirely appreciate loyalty to one’s friends, but loyalty to the cause of justice and honor stands above it.”

Letter to Senator John Mitchell
May 15, 1905

“The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and sympathy are also stronger than ever before.”

Remarks on Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C., April 15, 1906

“There is not a man of us here who does not at times need a helping hand to be stretched out to him, and then shame upon him who will not stretch out the helping hand to his brother.”

Speech in Pasadena, California, May 8, 1903

“States’ rights should be preserved when they mean the people’s rights; but not when they mean the people’s wrongs.”

Speech at Harvard University, February 23, 1907

“We owe it to ourselves as a nation effectively to safeguard ourselves against all likelihood of disaster at the hands of a foreign foe.”

New York Times, November 8, 1914

“All journalists, all writers, for the very reason that they appreciate the vast possibilities of their profession, should bear testimony against those who deeply discredit it.”

Speech in Paris, France, April 23, 1910

“A man cannot act both without and within the party; he can do either, but he cannot possibly do both.”

Interview in Boston Herald, July 20, 1884

“Far more important than the candidate’s words is the estimate you are able to put upon the closeness with which his deeds will correspond to his words.”

New York City, October 19, 1898

“There is not a city on earth that deserves honest government more than New York, and no city in the Union lacks that kind of government more than our city.”

Speech to Friends of Honest Government, New York City, October 25, 1895