No law is stronger than is the public sentiment where it is to be enforced.

How many times have I laughed at you telling me plainly that I was too lazy to be anything but a lawyer.

I understand that it is a maxim of law, that a poor plea may be a good plea to a bad declaration.

Again, a law may be both constitutional and expedient, and yet may be administered in an unjust and unfair way.

When I have a particular case in hand, I have that motive and feel an interest in the case, feel an interest in ferreting out the questions to the bottom, love to dig up the question by the roots and hold it up and dry it before the fires of the mind.

It is the quality of revolutions not to go by old lines or old laws; but to break up both, and make new ones.

No organic law can ever be framed with a provision specifically applicable to every question which may occur in practical administration. .. No foresight can anticipate nor any document of reasonable length contain express provisions for all possible questions.

I dared not trust the case on the presumption that the court knows everything. In fact, I argued it on the presumption that the court didn't know anything.

Laws change; people die; the land remains.