Robert G. IngersollRobert G. Ingersoll, (1833-1899) American lawyer, Civil War veteran, political leader, orator of United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought, nicknamed "The Great Agnostic"

Robert G. Ingersoll Quote

“Crimes were committed to punish crimes, and crimes were committed to prevent crimes.  The world has been filled with prisons and dungeons, with chains and whips, with crosses and gibbets, with thumbscrews and racks, with hangmen and heads-men - and yet these frightful means and instrumentalities have committed far more crimes than they have prevented.... Ignorance, filth, and poverty are the missionaries of crime.  As long as dishonorable success outranks honest effort -- as long as society bows and cringes before the great thieves, there will be little ones enough to fill the jails.”

Robert G. IngersollRobert G. Ingersoll
~ Robert G. Ingersoll

Robert Ingersoll, Crimes Against Criminals

Ratings and Comments


Mike, Norwalk

The secondary premise of the addressed concept is faulty at best. Crimes were/are committed to punish violators of those yielding the biggest swords, chains and whips; WHILE, ignorance, filth and poverty are NOT the missionaries of crime, carnal power, demented ethics and morals, and disregard for rights, liberty and natural law are a more accurate depiction. The conclusion of this sound bite is accurate to a fault; "As long as dishonorable success outranks honest effort -- as long as society bows and cringes before the great thieves, there will be little ones enough to fill the jails.”

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