
“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.”
First speech of Tony Abbott to Australian Parliament https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22chamber/hansardr/1994-05-31/0043%22, 1994.
First speech to Parliament
“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.”
Suetonius, Divus Augustus, paragraph 28.
“We stand equally against government by a plutocracy and government by a mob.”
Letter to Sir Edward Grey (15 September 1913)
1910s
Context: We stand equally against government by a plutocracy and government by a mob. There is something to be said for government by a great aristocracy which has furnished leaders to the nation in peace and war for generations; even a democrat like myself must admit this. But there is absolutely nothing to be said for government by a plutocracy, for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with "the money touch," but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers.
“The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.”
Letter to H. N. Eldridge (12 December 1869) as quoted in Garfield (1978) by Allen Peskin, Ch. 13
1860s
Variant: The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
TV Special for Iowa, December 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQNWHmiGj-k
2000s, 2006-2009
Source: Speech http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1848/aug/30/business-of-the-session in the House of Commons (30 August 1848).
“Politics is largely governed by sententious platitudes which are devoid of truth”