No man has ever yet been hanged for breaking the spirit of a law.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Legal systems punish physical violations of laws, not abstract violations of intent or spirit.
- In plain terms
- You can only be punished for breaking the written law, not its spirit.
- What can you take from it?
- Legal penalties require clear violations of written statutes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Should intent matter in punishment?
- How do we define breaking the spirit?
Another view
Spirit of law matters in equity, even if not always enforceable in court.
More from Grover Cleveland
Minds do not act together in public; they simply stick together; and when their private activities are resumed, they fly apart again.
Permalink to quote #27 Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters.
Permalink to quote #29 It is better to be defeated standing for a high principle than to run by committing subterfuge.
Permalink to quote #26
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