Charles Sumner: “And yet I know no surer way of judging a people than by its laws…”

On the record

And yet I know no surer way of judging a people than by its laws, especially where those laws have been long continued and openly maintained.

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Massachusetts

Source

Sumner argues that a society's laws are a true reflection of its character, particularly in relation to slavery.

More from Charles Sumner

Working-men of Europe, desire abolition of war, XVIII. 236.

Slavery and the: speech in New York, XI. 433.

Disunion no remedy for grievances of, VII. 33.

The only Constitutional party and party of freedom, VII. 38.

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Charles Sumner: “And yet I know no surer way of judging a people than by its laws, especially where those laws have been long continued…”