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Quotes from Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 — Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

1841–1935 United States

← All quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

4 quotes

That, at any rate, is the theory of our Constitution. It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment.

Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919)

It is only the present danger of immediate evil or an intent to bring it about that warrants Congress in setting a limit to the expression of opinion where private rights are not concerned.

Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919)

Only the emergency that makes it immediately dangerous to leave the correction of evil counsels to time warrants making any exception to the sweeping command, "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech."

Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919)

I think that we should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe and believe to be fraught with death, unless they so imminently threaten immediate interference with the lawful and pressing purposes of the law that an immediate check is required to save the country.

Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.