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Quotes of the Day for 11 August 2004 - Robert Green Ingersoll

Robert Green Ingersoll was born at Dresden, New York on this day in 1833. With little formal schooling, he served two law apprenticeships to qualify for the bar. He raised a cavalry regiment in Illinois and led it with distinction at Shiloh, but was captured by the Confederates and returned under an oath to not fight for the north again. He was appointed as the first Attorney General of Illinois in 1867, but he never held other office. He was an outspoken agnostic, so though he spoke on behalf of Republican candidates, he was never appointed to any positions when they won. He made a dozen cross-country speaking tours, filling the largest theaters at a dollar a seat for lectures on Shakespeare, Rober Burns, religion, politics, and the lives of famous patriots and scientists. In fact, he is believed to have been seen and heard by more Americans than any other person before the advent of motion pictures and radio.

Few rich men own their own property. The property owns them.

Joy is wealth and love is the legal tender of the soul.

Colleges are places where pebbles are polished and diamonds are dimmed.

He stands erect by bending over the fallen. He rises by lifting others.

Hope, deceitful as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.

The triumph of justice is the only peace.

Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.
     - All from Robert Green Ingersoll, 1833 - 1899

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