The whole fabric of southern society must be changed, and never can it be done if this opportunity is lost. Without this, this government can never be, as it never has been, a true republic.
Thaddeus StevensRead
I can never acknowledge the right of slavery. I will bow down to no deity however worshipped by professing Christians - however dignified by the name of the Goddess of Liberty, whose footstool is the crushed necks of the groaning millions, and who rejoices in the resoundings of the tyrant's lash, and the cries of his tortured victims.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a strong rejection of slavery and a refusal to accept any form of oppression.
In this powerful statement, Thaddeus Stevens articulates his unwavering stance against the institution of slavery and any form of deity or ideology that condones such injustice. He highlights the hypocrisy of worshipping a figure associated with liberty while ignoring the suffering it enables, symbolizing his commitment to justice and human dignity. Stevens' words resonate with a profound moral conviction and a call to conscience in the fight against tyranny.
Themes
SlaveryOppressionLibertyJusticeTyranny
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on civil rights, this quote can underscore the moral imperative to fight against oppression.
More from Thaddeus Stevens
All quotes →I answer, because I live among men and not among angels.
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No government can be free that does not allow all its citizens to participate in the formation and execution of her laws.
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The freedom of a government does not depend on the quality of its laws, but upon the power that has the right to create them.
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