--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No compact among men . . . can be…" description: "\"No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself, that no Wall of words, that no mound of parchm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg" --- # No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting… ![“No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself, that no Wall of words, that no mound of parchment can be so formed as to stand against the sweeping torrent of boundless ambition on the one side, aided by the sapping current of corrupted…” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg) > “No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself, that no Wall of words, that no mound of parchment can be so formed as to stand against the sweeping torrent of boundless ambition on the one side, aided by the sapping current of corrupted morals on the other.” [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition and corrupt morals clash, making any lasting agreement impossible. **In simple terms:** Ambition and corruption prevent lasting promises. Key Takeaway Guard against unchecked ambition and moral decay. Themes politics ethics human nature Mood cautionary philosophical Type wisdom warning When to use this quote - government formation - corporate deals - personal contracts Key Concepts power dynamics corruption idealism Questions to Reflect On - Can any agreement survive unchecked ambition? - What safeguards protect moral integrity? A Different Perspective Idealistic promises often fail under real‑world pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Boundless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundless/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Compact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compact/) [Compact Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compact-men-2994361/) [Corrupted Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupted-morals-2994359/) [Currents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) [Everlasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everlasting/) [Everlasting Inviolable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everlasting-inviolable-2994360/) [Express Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-myself/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inviolable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inviolable-2348563/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Pronounced Everlasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pronounced-everlasting-2994362/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Sweeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeping/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men in their various relations with each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-the-abstract-it-is-merely-a-2/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-the-abstract-it-is-merely-a/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Sometimes I feel something akin to rage At the corrupted morals of this age!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/sometimes-i-feel-something-akin-to-rage-at-the-corrupted-morals-of/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“The right to insult members of the government is inviolable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/the-right-to-insult-members-of-the-government-is-inviolable/) [Georges Clémenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [We will always return to the private and inviolable act of reading as our culture's way of developing an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/we-will-always-return-to-the-private-and-inviolable-act-of-reading-as/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“The world is inviolable: it has no beginning and no end. Those who seek to change it will be changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/the-world-is-inviolable-it-has-no-beginning-and-no-end-those-who-seek/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) > [The establishment of our new Government seemed to be the last great experiment for promoting human happiness by reasonable compact in civil society. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-establishment-of-our-new-government-seemed-to-be-the-last-great/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [A compact defense has always been the basis of Italy's team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-cannavaro/a-compact-defense-has-always-been-the-basis-of-italy-s-team/) [Fabio Cannavaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-cannavaro/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It may be that my most helpful contributions to music aren't my compact discs but my articles about other great singers of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-mccorkle/it-may-be-that-my-most-helpful-contributions-to-music-aren-t-my/) [Susannah McCorkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-mccorkle/) > [Because of my compact and muscular body composition, my short hair, and my "Johawk," I have been mistaken for a boy on many occasions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lohman/because-of-my-compact-and-muscular-body-composition-my-short-hair-and/) [Joanna Lohman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lohman/) > [ \[In the case of\] dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states, who are parties thereto, have the right,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-the-case-of-dangerous-exercise-of-other-powers-not-granted-by-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-take-a-look-at-the-history-of-african-americans-in-the-us-there-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [While most trudge through their days straight-jacketed in the social compact, living for others as much as or more than for themselves, a select…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/while-most-trudge-through-their-days-straight-jacketed-in-the-social/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [... in a history of spiritual rupture, a social compact built on fantasy and collective secrets, poetry becomes more necessary than ever: it keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/in-a-history-of-spiritual-rupture-a-social-compact-built-on-fantasy/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) ## More by George Washington > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/interwoven-as-is-the-love-of-liberty-with-every-ligament-of-your/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/in-vain-would-that-man-claim-the-tribute-of-patriotism-who-should/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious not to violate the conscience of others, ever considering that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/while-we-are-contending-for-our-own-liberty-we-should-be-very/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Among many other weighty objections to the Measure, it has been suggested, that it has a tendency to introduce religious disputes into the Army,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/among-many-other-weighty-objections-to-the-measure-it-has-been/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Democratical States must always feel before they can see: it is this that makes their Governments slow, but the people will be right at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/democratical-states-must-always-feel-before-they-can-see-it-is-this/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-in-the-opinion-of-the-people-the-distribution-or-modification-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [A man's intentions should be allowed in some respects to plead for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-man-s-intentions-should-be-allowed-in-some-respects-to-plead-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Explore all 801 George Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself, that no Wall of words, that no mound of parchment can be so formed as to stand against the sweeping torrent of boundless ambition on the one side, aided by the sapping current of corrupted morals on the other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Washington" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-everlasting-and-inviolable-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-everlasting-and-inviolable-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/george-washington-257_ambition_no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-e_1115646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No compact among men . . . can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself…” — George Washington", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Washington", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No compact among men . ....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-everlasting-and-inviolable-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/no-compact-among-men-can-be-pronounced-everlasting-and-inviolable-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```