Thomas Bailey Aldrich Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"The possession of unlimited power will make a despot of almost any man.
There is a possible Nero in the gentlest human creature that walks."

by:	Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907)
Source:	Ponkapog Papers, 1903
Rating:
Categories:	Integrity, Power, Proverbs, Tyranny
	Tweet

Reader comments about this quote:

The possession of limited power often does so. -- David L. Rosenthal
yeah, probably. As David has alluded to, look what has happened here with limited power (compelled compliance, license, victimless crimes, torture as an interrogation technique, required ID, theft of the noble labor's fruits, loss of Habeas Corpus, loss of religious freedoms in public, loss of juror authority, loss of a truly free press, infringement on the right to keep and bare arms, a literal loss to the protection of life, liberty, and property, loss of true State sovereignty, etc. etc. etc.) -- Mike, Norwalk 3
-- Mike, Mount Holly, NC
Power corrupts; but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Congress is corrupt and has absolutely stolen power from the people absolutely. -- Joe, Rochester, MI 3
In the dark recesses of every man lives a despot fighting to come out. The left tends to believe in the innate goodness and nobility of humanity. The right tends to believe in fallen man with all of his selfish inclinations. When we fail to recognize that we all have the potential to do evil, then we allow that inner despot the ability to act. Nobility is a learned and chosen behavior. -- Ken, Allyn, WA 4
-- E Archer, NYC
Bet most of us think we would be a pretty good despot. -- warren, olathe 1
-- Mary - MI
-- Ronw13, Oregon
Our current king is butt naked; but, the majority of our serfs think he is wearing the very expensive clothes they paid for. We'll see what our next king does to his wardrobe. If he ends up naked as is our current king, it won't be a pretty sight. Cheers. -- Bruski, Naples FL 1
Mike, Norwalk; That would be 'bear arms'. -- G, Iowa
-- G, Iowa; I tried to keep it brief, I hope this helps. The 2nd Amendment states: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. There are 2 separate parts here identified. As a foundation, each individual is sovereign and can only act at natural law for self with no third party dictator. Each and every body politic participant is/are to be servants, not rulers. Governments are the servants, not the masters of the people. (Thomas Jefferson) In free governments the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns. (Benjamin Franklin) Representative(s) of each and every, any and all sovereign rights can do nothing the individual sovereign can not legally do himself. All Militia is a military classification of the individual sovereign personally and/or in concert with other sovereigns. The designation regulated is a conjugation of regulation - a military understanding of a well armed sovereign individual(s) - again, personally and in concert (used almost exclusively in the multiple of sovereigns formally united in a singe service by agreement). The second half of the Amendment addressed the individual in his sovereign individual status (personally and in concert) (to define a right is for another day and another post) Bear means: To carry ⋯ from one place to another: or, to be accountable for - assume responsibility of: Synonyms for the here subject matter bear are: allow, carry, engender, increase, manufacture, produce, propagate, transmit, transport, (Burtons Legal Dictionary). From an era appropriate dictionary, bear means: To carry; to convey; to support and remove from place to place; (Websters Dictionary 1828). The word remove here does not necessarily mean - to take away. By historical understanding, in Genisis 1:28 the Hebrew verb male' pronounced mlā', meaning: fill full or accomplish an abundance translated into early English as replenish. Such demonstrates the grammatik prefix tradition of emphasizing the filling full. Instead of the Lord stating something multiple times (for example: stating 2 or 3 times the phrase; be fruitful, multiply and accomplish an abundance for an emphasized effect) early English grammar tradition was to add the prefix re. The prefix re here is effectually the same as stating something a multiple times for emphasized effect. The earliest of Websters dictionary reflects this tradition by using the word remove instead of just move or carry. This particular understanding works well when describing bear in the 2nd Amendment. Arms are: Any thing that a man wears for his defence, or takes in his hands, or uses in his anger, to cast at, or strike at another. Co. Litt. 161 b, 162 a; Crompt. Just. P. 65; Cunn. Dict. h. t. (Bouviers Law Dictionary 1856) - Any thing that a man wears for his defense, or takes in his hands, or uses in his anger, to cast at, or strike at another. Co. Litt. 161 b, 162 a; Crompt. Just. P. 65. This term, as it is used in the constitution, relative to the right of citizens to bear arms, refers to the arms of a militiaman or soldier, and the word is used in its military sense. (Blacks Law Dictionary 1st Edition) SO, to constitutionally bear arms means each individual sovereign is to carry and be responsible for his own military grade armament. -- Mike, Norwalk 1
He refers to the deluded boy, men will always harness and make use of the most effective force, the moral force. The man is duty bound and will perform his moral duties, no matter the circumstances. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

Bio of Thomas Bailey Aldrich
More Thomas Bailey Aldrich Quotes
Books by or about Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Thomas Bailey Aldrich Videos
Wikipedia
This Thomas Bailey Aldrich quote is found in these quote Categories:
Integrity Quotes
Power Quotes
Proverbs Quotes
Tyranny Quotes

Quotes & Quotations - Send This Quote to a Friend

© 1998-2024 Liberty-Tree.ca