Today we affirm a new commitment to live out our nation's promise through civility, courage, compassion and character.

Our nation is chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world of justice.

Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.

In politics as in philosophy, my tenets are few and simple. The leading one of which, and indeed that which embraces most others, is to be honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved. If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease and our swords would soon be converted into reap hooks and our harvests be more peaceful, abundant, and happy.

Religious conviction, and the truths Christianity teaches about the inalienable dignity of every human life, can be a dynamic, creative force, bending history in a more human direction.

O poor New England! There is a deep laid plot against your civil and religious liberties, and they will be lost. Your golden days are at an end. You have nothing but trouble before you... Your liberties will be lost.

Communists have committed great crimes, but at least they have not stood aside, like an established society, and been indifferent. I would rather have blood on my hands than water, like Pilate.

There is but one blasphemy, and that is injustice.

Injustice never rules forever.

There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.

It usually takes 100 years to make a law, and then, after it's done its work, it usually takes 100 years to be rid of it.