John Morley

But to face all the cost and all the risks of a prolonged and a widely extended conflict, with the deliberate intention of allowing the enemy to have his own way after the conflict had been brought to an end, was not intelligible and was…

Strange in mighty nations is moral cowardice, disguised as a Roman pride.

All the more may we admire the moral courage of the minister.

For moral courage may be needed even where aversion to bloodshed fortunately happens to coincide with high prudence and sound policy of state.

This is the epitome of all the contracts in the world, betwixt man and man, betwixt prince and subject.

The agitation of the Irish land league strikes at the roots of all contract, and therefore at the very foundations of modern society; but if we would effectually withstand it, we must cease to insist on maintaining the forms of free…

I considered it should be done by giving stringency to the existing law, but not by abolishing the right to be tried before being imprisoned.

This work had not yet been fully accomplished, and it seemed to me that the effective prosecution of it was our first and highest duty.

I reflected on the situation, and came to the conclusion that it was my duty to extricate the House from the difficulty by closing the debate of my own authority, and so asserting the undoubted will of the House against a rebellious…

In the deepest interests of social order, and in confirmation of the tenant’s equitable and customary ownership, the only course open to the imperial legislature was to erect machinery for fixing fair rents.

Nevertheless any attempt in later times to impair the authority of the Land Act of 1881 brought the fact instantly to light, that the tenant knew it to be the fundamental charter of his redemption from worse than Egyptian bondage.

In measuring this great agrarian law, not only by parliamentary force and legislative skill and power, but by the vast and abiding depth of its social results, both direct and still more indirect, many will be disposed to give it the…

You have heard,” I asked, “that the Bessborough commission are to report for the Three F’s?” “I have not heard,” he said; “it is incredible!” As so often comes to pass in politics, it was only a step from the incredible to the…

When will the House take courage and reform its procedure?” After all, the suspension of habeas corpus is a thing that men may well think it worth while to fight about, and a revolution in a country’s land-system might be expected to take…

But I have the fear that when the occasion for action comes, which will not be in my time, many liberals may perhaps hang back and may cause further trouble.

It is liberty alone which fits men for liberty.

This proposition, like every other in politics, has its bounds; but it is far safer than the counter doctrine, wait till they are fit.

You will hardly be surprised when I say that I regard him, if apprised of the facts, as responsible for the conduct of these priests.

For I know perfectly well that he has the means of silencing them; and that, if any one of them were in public to dispute the decrees of the council of 1870 as plainly as he has denounced law and order, he would be silenced.

My wish is as regards Ireland, in this hour of her peril and her hope, to leave nothing undone by which to give heart and strength to the hope and to abate the peril.

But my wish as regards the Pope is that he should have the means of bringing those for whom he is responsible to fulfil the elementary duties of citizenship.

He is unreasonable, as are all those who expect more from life and the world than life and the world have to give.

The efficacy of secret voting is negative if we will, but it averts obvious mischiefs alike from old privileged orders in states and churches and from new.

It is one thing, I am very well aware, to put on three millions; it is another thing to take them off.

I would use my best endeavours to make these States independent in matters of administration.