Rutherford B. Hayes quotes

Rutherford B. Hayes was the 19th president of the United States and a politician from Ohio. His presidency is remembered for ending Reconstruction and attempting to reconcile divisions following the Civil War. He advocated for civil service reform and worked to restore trust in the government. Here are 106 of his quotes:

One of the tests of the civilization of people is the treatment of its criminals. (Rutherford B. Hayes)
Conscience is the authentic voice of God to you. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
The unrestricted competition so commonly advocated does not leave us the survival of the fittest. The unscrupulous succeed best in accumulating wealth. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
It is the desire of the good people of the whole country that sectionalism as a factor in our politics should disappear. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
In avoiding the appearance of evil, I am not sure but I have sometimes unnecessarily deprived myself and others of innocent enjoyments. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Let every man, every corporation, and especially let every village, town, and city, every county and State, get out of debt and keep out of debt. It is the debtor that is ruined by hard times. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
The progress of society is mainly the improvement in the condition of the workingmen of the world. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
I am not liked as a President by the politicians in office, in the press, or in Congress. But I am content to abide the judgment the sober second thought of the people. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Virtue is defined to be mediocrity, of which either extreme is vice. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
To vote is like the payment of a debt, a duty never to be neglected, if its performance is possible. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Wars will remain while human nature remains. I believe in my soul in cooperation, in arbitration; but the soldier's occupation we cannot say is gone until human nature is gone. (Rutherford B. Hayes)
Do not let your bachelor ways crystallize so that you can't soften them when you come to have a wife and a family of your own. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Fighting battles is like courting girls: those who make the most pretensions and are boldest usually win. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
I am a freeman and jolly as a beggar. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
He serves his party best who serves the country best. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
On the telephone That's an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
We all agree that neither the Government nor political parties ought to interfere with religious sects. It is equally true that religious sects ought not to interfere with the Government or with political parties. We believe that the cause of good government and the cause of religion both suffer by all such interference. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
My policy is trust, peace, and to put aside the bayonet. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
My only objection to the arrangements there is the two-in-a-bed system. It is bad.... But let your words and conduct be perfectly pure - such as your mother might know without bringing a blush to your cheek.... If not already mentioned, do not tell your mother of the doubling in bed. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Let me assure my countrymen of the Southern States that it is my earnest desire to regard and promote their truest interest - the interests of the white and of the colored people both and equally - and to put forth my best efforts in behalf of a civil policy which will forever wipe out in our political affairs the color line and the distinction between North and South, to the end that we may have not merely a united North or a united South, but a united country. (Rutherford B. Hayes)
Universal suffrage should rest upon universal education. To this end, liberal and permanent provision should be made for the support of free schools by the State governments, and, if need be, supplemented by legitimate aid from national authority. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
Must swear off from swearing. Bad habit. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
There can be no complete and permanent reform of the civil service until public opinion emancipates congressmen from all control and influence over government patronage. Legislation is required to establish the reform. No proper legislation is to be expected as long as members of Congress are engaged in procuring offices for their constituents. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes
All appointments hurt. Five friends are made cold or hostile for every appointment; no new friends are made. All patronage is perilous to men of real ability or merit. It aids only those who lack other claims to public support. View quote
Rutherford B. Hayes