Benjamin Harrison

Politician

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States, notable for his advocacy of civil rights and significant legislative reforms.

Born
August 20, 1833
Died
March 13, 1901
Quotes
26
Rank
#1756

About Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison — Life and Legacy

Benjamin Harrison served as the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893, a time marked by significant political and social change. His presidency is particularly remembered for his strong advocacy for civil rights, especially in the context of voting rights for African Americans. Harrison famously stated, 'The only true democracy is one that includes all voices,' reflecting his belief that inclusive governance is essential for a healthy democracy. This perspective was pivotal during a period when many states enacted laws to disenfranchise Black voters. Harrison's commitment to civil rights was not merely rhetorical; he actively sought to implement policies that would protect the rights of all citizens. His administration pushed for the passage of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and the Federal Elections Bill, which aimed to curb electoral fraud and ensure fair voting practices. These initiatives demonstrated his understanding of governance as a means to promote equality and justice. Today, Harrison's quotes and ideas resonate in discussions about democracy and civil rights, reminding us of the ongoing struggle for equality in America. His legacy serves as a call to action for leaders to prioritize inclusivity and fairness in governance, emphasizing that true democracy requires the participation of all citizens.

Quote collection

Benjamin Harrison quotes (page 1 of 2)

26 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth will starve in the process."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"Prayer steadies one when he is walking in slippery places - even if things asked for are not given."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"The indiscriminate denunciation of the rich is mischievous.... No poor man was ever made richer or happier by it. It is quite as illogical to despise a man because he is rich as because he is poor. Not what a man has, but what he is, settles his class. We can not right matters by taking from one what he has honestly acquired to bestow upon another what he has not earned."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I cannot always sympathize with that demand which we hear so frequently for cheap things. Things may be too cheap. They are too cheap when the man or woman who produces them upon the farm or the man or woman who produces them in the factory does not get out of them living wages with a margin for old age and for a dowry for the incidents that are to follow. I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth or shapes it into a garment will starve in the process."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"God forbid that the day should ever come when, in the American mind, the thought of man as a consumer shall submerge the old American thought of man as a creature of God, endowed with unalienable rights."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I am thorough believer in the American test of character. He will not build high who does not build for himself."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I'd rather have a bullet inside of me than to be living in constant dread of one."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"The disfranchisement of a single legal elector by fraud or intimidation is a crime too grave to be regarded lightly."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"That one flag encircles us with its folds today, the unrivaled object of our loyal love."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"I knew that my staying up would not change the election result if I were defeated, while if elected I had a hard day ahead of me. So I thought a night's rest was best in any event."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"When and under what conditions is the black man to have a free ballot? When is he in fact to have those full civil rights which have so long been his in law?"

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love or a land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon, and so full of generous suggestion to enterprise and labor."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"If you take out of your statutes, your constitution, your family life all that is taken from the Sacred Book, what would there be left to bind society together?"

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"Will it not be wise to allow the friendship between nations to rest upon deep and permanent things? Irritations of the cuticle must not be confounded with heart failure."

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Benjamin Harrison Politician
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"It is often easier to assemble armies than it is to assemble army revenues."

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