Alexis De TocquevilleThe passion for war is so intense that there is no undertaking so mad, or so injurious to the welfare of the State, that a man does not consider himself honored in defending it, at the risk of his life.
About This Quote
The passion for war is so intense that there is no undertaking so mad, or so injurious to the welfare of the State, that a man does not consider himself honored in defending it, at the risk of his life. This quote is from a letter written by General George Washington to his brother John Augustine who was a British spy. It was a warning to the young men of America about the lengths to which they would go for a war. They had fought a war against Britain and were now fighting another one with Britain's ally France. Washington knew that people’s hearts were still with England and he feared that if they went too far, they would lose their support from their fellow countrymen.
Source: Democracy In America
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