“I would rather that this people should starve to death in the mountains, than to have the Lord Almighty hand us over to a cursed, infernal mob. I would rather go down to the grave in peace than to fight a mob, unless the Lord would give me enough Saints to fight and kill the poor devils; in such case I wish to live and fight them. But I never want to see a mob again drive and tread under foot the Saints.”
Journal of Discourses 3:224 (March 2, 1856)
1850s
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Brigham Young 52
Latter Day Saint movement leader 1801–1877Related quotes

Interview https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/01/winston-churchill-new-statesman-archive with Kingsley Martin for the New Statesman (7 January 1939)
The 1930s

“I am a disciple of the philosopher Dionysus, I would rather be a satyr than a saint.”
From Preface
Ecce Homo (1888)

“If I am to die, I would rather die fighting on the left.”
Remark to Herbert Samuel, explaining his opposition to Liberal politicians joining the National Government (5 October 1931), quoted in John Campbell, Lloyd George: The Goat in the Wilderness, 1922–1931 (1977), p. 301
Leader of the Independent Liberals

“Who would not rather founder in the fight
Than not have known the glory of the fray?”
"Two and Fate", p. 29.
Along the Trail (1898)

Modernized rendition: I had reasoned this out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted, and when the time came for me to go, the Lord would let them take me.
The phrase "Liberty or Death" is a slogan made famous during the independence struggle of several countries.
1880s, Harriet, The Moses of Her People (1886)

Broadcast (30 June 1940), quoted in Keith Feiling, Neville Chamberlain (London: Macmillan, 1946), p. 449.
Post-Prime Ministerial

“For them, the mere pledge of "I believe" is not enough, but rather the oath: "I fight!"”
Speech from the Sixth Nazi Party Congress, Nuremberg; September 8th, 1934 https://web.archive.org/web/20150605015000/http://campbellmgold.com/archive_esoteric/hitler_closing_speech_triumph_of_the_will.pdf.
Video footage of this quotation can be found in the film Triumph of the Will
1930s
Context: It shall always be only a fraction of the people who stand out as truly active fighters, and more is expected from them than from the millions of their fellow countrymen. For them, the mere pledge of "I believe" is not enough, but rather the oath: "I fight!"