Political Quotes

On the record
It may be republican according to the imperfect notions of an earlier period, or even according to the standard of Montesquieu; but it cannot be republican in a country which began its national life in disregard of received notions and the standards of the past.
Said by
Charles Sumner
Massachusetts

Editor's note · Context

Sumner argues that a constitution cannot be republican if it adheres to outdated notions of governance.

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