There is no such thing as a "self-made" man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.

The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare.

Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they find laughable.

When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.

In the final measure, nothing speaks like deeds.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
We have met the enemy, and he is us.

I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American; and I intend to perform the duties incumbent upon me in that character to the end of my career. I mean to do this with absolute disregard of personal consequences.

What are the personal consequences? What is the individual man, with all the good or evil that may betide him, in comparison with the good or evil which may befall a great country, and in the midst of great transactions which concern that country's fate?

Let the consequences be what they will, I am careless. No man can suffer too much, and no man can fall too soon, if he suffer, or if he fall, in the defense of the liberties and constitution of his country.

Freedom is essentially a condition of inequality, not equality. It recognizes as a fact of nature the structural differences inherent in man – in temperament, character, and capacity – and it respects those differences. We are not alike and no law can make us so.

It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.

Courage is the sin quo non of leadership: it is that quality of character that will encounter danger with firmness.  Courage will stand on principle in the face of opposition and unpopularity.  It will confront moral evil with the truth, and will face physical danger with valor.  While others may falter through fear, a courageous leader will remain calm in crisis and vigilant in action.