A public man must never forget that he loses his usefulness when he as an individual, rather than his policy, becomes the issue.
If a large city can, after intense intellectual efforts, choose for its mayor a man who merely will not steal from it, we consider it a triumph of the suffrage.
In government offices which are sensitive to the vehemence and passion of mass sentiment public men have no sure tenure. They are in effect perpetual office seekers, always on trial for their political lives, always required to court their restless constituents.
Lofty posts make great men greater still, and small men much smaller.
No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.
Nominee. A modest gentleman shrinking from the distinction of private life and diligently seeking the honorable obscurity of public office.
Public employment contributes neither to advantage nor happiness. It is but honorable exile from one's family and affairs.
The State, in choosing men to serve it, takes no notice of their opinions. If they be willing faithfully to serve it, that satisfies.
We say that someone occupies an official position, whereas it is the official position that occupies him.
When you give power to an executive you do not know who will be filling that position when the time of crisis comes.
You don't have power if you surrender all your principles — you have office.