Create Yours

Top 25 William H. Seward Quotes (2025 Update)

William H. Seward Quote: “The two systems slave and free-labor are incompatible. They have never permanently existed together in one country, and they never can.”

1. “The two systems slave and free-labor are incompatible. They have never permanently existed together in one country, and they never can.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “It is an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces.”

2. “It is an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them, and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

3. “We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them, and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “There is no social life outside of Christendom.”

4. “There is no social life outside of Christendom.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “There is a higher law than the Constitution.”

5. “There is a higher law than the Constitution.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “I know and all the world knows, that revolutions never go backwards.”

6. “I know and all the world knows, that revolutions never go backwards.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible.”

7. “The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “But assuming the same premises, to wit, that all men are equal by the law of nature and of nations, the right of property in slaves falls to the ground; for one who is equal to another cannot be the owner or property of that other.”

8. “But assuming the same premises, to wit, that all men are equal by the law of nature and of nations, the right of property in slaves falls to the ground; for one who is equal to another cannot be the owner or property of that other.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “But there is a higher law than the Constitution, which regulates our authority over the domain, and devotes it to the same noble purposes.”

9. “But there is a higher law than the Constitution, which regulates our authority over the domain, and devotes it to the same noble purposes.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “Sir, there is no Christian nation, thus free to choose as we are, which would establish slavery.”

10. “Sir, there is no Christian nation, thus free to choose as we are, which would establish slavery.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “There is not only no free state which would now establish it, but there is no slave state, which, if it had had the free alternative as we now have, would have founded slavery.”

11. “There is not only no free state which would now establish it, but there is no slave state, which, if it had had the free alternative as we now have, would have founded slavery.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “The circumstances of the world are so variable that an irrevocable purpose or opinion is almost synonymous with a foolish one.”

12. “The circumstances of the world are so variable that an irrevocable purpose or opinion is almost synonymous with a foolish one.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “Therefore, states are equal in natural rights.”

13. “Therefore, states are equal in natural rights.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “I have learned, by some experience, that virtue and patriotism, vice and selfishness, are found in all parties, and that they differ less in their motives than in the policies they pursue.”

14. “I have learned, by some experience, that virtue and patriotism, vice and selfishness, are found in all parties, and that they differ less in their motives than in the policies they pursue.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “I deem it established, then, that the Constitution does not recognize property in man, but leaves that question, as between the states, to the law of nature and of nations.”

15. “I deem it established, then, that the Constitution does not recognize property in man, but leaves that question, as between the states, to the law of nature and of nations.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “Whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it. For this purpose it must be somebody’s business to pursue and direct it incessantly.”

16. “Whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it. For this purpose it must be somebody’s business to pursue and direct it incessantly.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “But the Constitution was made not only for southern and northern states, but for states neither northern nor southern, namely, the western states, their coming in being foreseen and provided for.”

17. “But the Constitution was made not only for southern and northern states, but for states neither northern nor southern, namely, the western states, their coming in being foreseen and provided for.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “Revolutions never go backward.”

18. “Revolutions never go backward.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “It would be contrary to the spirit of the American Government to use force to subjugate the South.”

19. “It would be contrary to the spirit of the American Government to use force to subjugate the South.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “It is the maintenance of slavery by law in a state, not parallels of latitude, that makes its a southern state; and the absence of this, that makes it a northern state.”

20. “It is the maintenance of slavery by law in a state, not parallels of latitude, that makes its a southern state; and the absence of this, that makes it a northern state.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “I mean to say that Congress can hereafter decide whether any states, slave or free, can be framed out of Texas. If they should never be framed out of Texas, they never could be admitted.”

21. “I mean to say that Congress can hereafter decide whether any states, slave or free, can be framed out of Texas. If they should never be framed out of Texas, they never could be admitted.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “The proposition of an established classification of states as slave states and free states, as insisted on by some, and into northern and southern, as maintained by others, seems to me purely imaginary, and of course the supposed equilibrium of those classes a mere conceit.”

22. “The proposition of an established classification of states as slave states and free states, as insisted on by some, and into northern and southern, as maintained by others, seems to me purely imaginary, and of course the supposed equilibrium of those classes a mere conceit.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “The right to have a slave implies the right in some one to make the slave; that right must be equal and mutual, and this would resolve society into a state of perpetual war.”

23. “The right to have a slave implies the right in some one to make the slave; that right must be equal and mutual, and this would resolve society into a state of perpetual war.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “I speak on due consideration because Britain, France, and Mexico, have abolished slavery, and all other European states are preparing to abolish it as speedily as they can.”

24. “I speak on due consideration because Britain, France, and Mexico, have abolished slavery, and all other European states are preparing to abolish it as speedily as they can.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “But you answer, that the Constitution recognizes property in slaves. It would be sufficient, then, to reply, that this constitutional recognition must be void, because it is repugnant to the law of nature and of nations.”

25. “But you answer, that the Constitution recognizes property in slaves. It would be sufficient, then, to reply, that this constitutional recognition must be void, because it is repugnant to the law of nature and of nations.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “But I deny that the Constitution recognizes property in man.”

26. “But I deny that the Constitution recognizes property in man.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “Simultaneously with the establishment of the Constitution, Virginia ceded to the United States her domain, which then extended to the Mississippi, and was even claimed to extend to the Pacific Ocean.”

27. “Simultaneously with the establishment of the Constitution, Virginia ceded to the United States her domain, which then extended to the Mississippi, and was even claimed to extend to the Pacific Ocean.”

— William H. Seward

William H. Seward Quote: “The United States are a political state, or organized society, whose end is government, for the security, welfare, and happiness of all who live under its protection.”

28. “The United States are a political state, or organized society, whose end is government, for the security, welfare, and happiness of all who live under its protection.”

— William H. Seward

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Positive Quotes

Positive Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

INSPIRATIONAL SUCCESS MOTIVATIONAL

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL

Positive Quotes

Positive Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL

Steve Jobs Quotes

Steve Jobs Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS APPLE

Inspirational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

COURAGE MOTIVATIONAL STRENGTH

INSPIRATIONAL SUCCESS MOTIVATIONAL

Swami Vivekananda Quotes

Swami Vivekananda Quotes

LIFE SPIRITUALITY

Save image...
Permalink
Open in new tab
Copy quote text

Beautiful Wallpapers and Images

We hope you enjoyed our collection of 25 William H. Seward Quotes.

All the images on this page were created with QuoteFancy Studio.

Use QuoteFancy Studio to create high-quality images for your desktop backgrounds, blog posts, presentations, social media, videos, posters, and more.

Thank you!

Please check your email.