If not us, who? If not now, when?

Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny, they have only shifted it to another shoulder.

The children of the revolution are always ungrateful, and the revolution must be grateful that it is so.

No one makes a revolution by himself, and there are some revolutions which humanity accomplishes without quite knowing how, because it is everybody who takes them in hand.

Those who give the first shock to a state are the first overwhelmed in its ruin; the fruits of public commotion are seldom enjoyed by him who was the first mover; he only beats the water for another’s net.

The spirit of revolution, the spirit of insurrection, is a spirit radically opposed to liberty.

I have been ever of the opinion that revolutions are not to be evaded.

Insurrection of thought always precedes insurrection of arms.

If there was ever a just war since the world began, it is this in which America is now engaged.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

And then, sir, there is this consideration: that if the abuse be enormous, nature will rise up and, claiming her original rights, overturn a corrupt political system.

In revolutions men fall and rise. Long before this war is over, much as you hear me praised now, you may hear me cursed and insulted.

Governments are not overthrown by the poor, who have no power, but by the rich—when they are insulted by their inferiors and cannot obtain justice.