Political Quotes

On the record
With indefensible exaggeration, it was changed by the British nation, backed by the British Government, into a casus belli,--as if an unauthorized incident, obviously involving no question of self-defence, could justify war between two civilized nations.
Said by
Charles Sumner
Massachusetts

Editor's note · Context

Sumner argues that an incident was exaggerated by Britain to justify war, despite it not being a legitimate cause for conflict.

Share

More from Charles Sumner

Far above any flickering light or battle-lantern of party is the everlasting sun of Truth, in whose beams are the duties of men.

gutenberg.org

Confessing the Fatherhood of God, and the consequent Brotherhood of Man, we find a divine standard of unquestionable accuracy.

gutenberg.org

But so long as War exists as an Institution this terrible inconsistency must appear.

gutenberg.org

At Baltimore the delegation of the most important State in the Union, known to be in favor of the Wilmot Proviso, was refused admission to the Convention.

gutenberg.org

Other voices in this conversation