--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our conflict is not likely to cease so…" description: "\"Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. The measure of iniquity is not yet filled; and unless we can return a little ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/george-washington-257_cease_our-conflict-is-not-likely-to-cease-so-s_949032.jpg" --- # Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good… ![“Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. The measure of iniquity is not yet filled; and unless we can return a little more to first principles, and act a little more upon patriotic ground, I do not know when it will-or-what may be the issue of the contest…” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/george-washington-257_cease_our-conflict-is-not-likely-to-cease-so-s_949032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/george-washington-257_cease_our-conflict-is-not-likely-to-cease-so-s_949032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/george-washington-257_cease_our-conflict-is-not-likely-to-cease-so-s_949032.jpg) > “Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. The measure of iniquity is not yet filled; and unless we can return a little more to first principles, and act a little more upon patriotic ground, I do not know when it will-or-what may be the issue of the contest. Speculation-peculation-engrossing-forestalling-with all their concomitants, afford too many melancholy proofs of the decay of public virtue; and too glaring instances of its being the interest and desire of too many, who would wish to be thought friends, to continue the war.” [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. Washington warns that moral decay and political speculation hinder peace, urging a return to foundational virtues and patriotism. **In simple terms:** Society drifts from core values, risking conflict. Key Takeaway Recommit to foundational principles. Themes politics morality conflict principles patriotism Mood concerned reflective serious Type historical political When to use this quote - political discourse - historical analysis - ethical debate Key Concepts civic virtue public decay speculation war fatigue Questions to Reflect On - What modern “first principles” could restore civic virtue? - How can societies balance tradition with progress? A Different Perspective The call for “first principles” may oversimplify complex modern issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Conflict Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict-likely-1678290/) [Contests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contests/) [Continue War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continue-war-1472960/) [Decay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [First Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-principles/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Iniquity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iniquity/) [Instance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instance/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Public Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-virtue-401564/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speculation/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. 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We will fight on the Loire, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/the-germans-may-take-paris-but-that-will-not-prevent-me-from-going-on/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [It is inhuman to continue a war which could easily be ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/it-is-inhuman-to-continue-a-war-which-could-easily-be-ended/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Only the story can continue beyond the war and the warrior. The story outlives the sound of the war drum... The story is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/only-the-story-can-continue-beyond-the-war-and-the-warrior-the-story/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [The ongoing strife in Iraq, and the billions of dollars that the President is seeking to continue that war, give me little comfort that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrd/the-ongoing-strife-in-iraq-and-the-billions-of-dollars-that-the/) [Robert Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrd/) > [It is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-the-child-of-avarice-the-brother-of-iniquity-and-the-father-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [There is no institution more vital to our Nation's survival than the American family. Here the seeds of personal character are planted, the roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-institution-more-vital-to-our-nation-s-survival-than-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Watergate is the great liberal illusion that you can have public virtue without private morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/watergate-is-the-great-liberal-illusion-that-you-can-have-public/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [That public virtue which among the ancients was denominated patriotism, is derived from a strong sense of our own interest in the preservation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-public-virtue-which-among-the-ancients-was-denominated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together," Pulitzer wrote. "An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/our-republic-and-its-press-will-rise-or-fall-together-pulitzer-wrote/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [The founders of this nation understood that private morality is the fount from whence sound public policy springs. Replying to Washington's first inaugural address,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-g-west/the-founders-of-this-nation-understood-that-private-morality-is-the/) [Thomas G. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-g-west/) > [That the foundation of our national policy should be laid in private morality. If individuals be not influenced by moral principles, it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/that-the-foundation-of-our-national-policy-should-be-laid-in-private/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [In America, we have equated personal business success with public virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/in-america-we-have-equated-personal-business-success-with-public/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/an-able-disinterested-public-spirited-press-with-trained-intelligence/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) ## 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. 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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 Cease quotes > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the name of Jerusalem. If I forget the extermination of the Jews, may my right hand wither, may my tongue stick to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/in-the-name-of-jerusalem-if-i-forget-the-extermination-of-the-jews/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. 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Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [He who ceases to pray ceases to prosper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurney-benham/he-who-ceases-to-pray-ceases-to-prosper/) [William Gurney Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurney-benham/) > [For we must share, if we would keep, that blessing from above; ceasing to give, we cease to have; such is the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chenevix-trench/for-we-must-share-if-we-would-keep-that-blessing-from-above-ceasing/) [Richard Chenevix Trench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chenevix-trench/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Browse all 1,358 Cease quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. The measure of iniquity is not yet filled; and unless we can return a little more to first principles, and act a little more upon patriotic ground, I do not know when it will-or-what may be the issue of the contest. 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