--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truthfulness is a cornerstone in…" description: "\"Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be not firmly laid in youth, there will ever after be a weak spot in the foundation.\" — Jefferson..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg" --- # Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be… ![“Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be not firmly laid in youth, there will ever after be a weak spot in the foundation.” quote by Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg) > “Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be not firmly laid in youth, there will ever after be a weak spot in the foundation.” [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early honesty builds a solid character foundation; lacking it creates lasting weakness. **In simple terms:** Early honesty is essential for strong character. Key Takeaway Teach truthfulness early. Themes honesty character foundation Mood serious reflective Type ethical educational When to use this quote - parenting - school curricula - leadership training Key Concepts moral development integrity education Questions to Reflect On - How can we reinforce honesty in youth? - What are consequences of early dishonesty? A Different Perspective Children may still lie despite early lessons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Firmly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-firmly-1755026/) [Cornerstone Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornerstone-character-1755027/) [Cornerstones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornerstones/) [Ever after](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever-after/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Spots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spots/) [Truthfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthfulness/) [Truthfulness Cornerstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthfulness-cornerstone-1755025/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) [Weak spots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak-spots/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) [Youth Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth-weak-1755028/) ## Related quotes > [Silence is the cornerstone of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-alexander-eastman/silence-is-the-cornerstone-of-character/) [Charles Alexander Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-alexander-eastman/) > [Honesty is the cornerstone of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/honesty-is-the-cornerstone-of-character/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [I do like to embed a fictional character firmly in an occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-do-like-to-embed-a-fictional-character-firmly-in-an-occupation/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [Many are always praising the by-gone time, for it is natural that the old should extol the days of their youth; the weak, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-are-always-praising-the-by-gone-time-for-it-is-natural-that-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I read that when cats are cuddling and kneading you, and you think it's cute, they're really just checking your vitals for weak spots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/i-read-that-when-cats-are-cuddling-and-kneading-you-and-you-think-it/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [My weak spot is that I don't like analyzing so I tend to be a bit lazy; I tend to get bored quickly, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/my-weak-spot-is-that-i-don-t-like-analyzing-so-i-tend-to-be-a-bit/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [When a problem comes along, study it until you are completely knowledgeable. Then find that weak spot, break the problem apart, and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/when-a-problem-comes-along-study-it-until-you-are-completely/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The common idea that scientists reject a theory as soon as it leads to a contradiction is just not so. When they get something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/the-common-idea-that-scientists-reject-a-theory-as-soon-as-it-leads/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [My weak spot is laziness. I have a lot of weak spots - cookies, croissants; my wife is always lecturing me about this, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/my-weak-spot-is-laziness-i-have-a-lot-of-weak-spots-cookies/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [An artist is only an ordinary man with a greater potentiality--same stuff, same make up, only more force. And the strong driving force usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-artist-is-only-an-ordinary-man-with-a-greater-potentiality-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People with antisocial personality disorders aren't automatically bad - they simply approach the world with a more ruthless set of lenses. The lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-robinson/people-with-antisocial-personality-disorders-aren-t-automatically-bad/) [Eden Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-robinson/) > [When we are going through the aftereffects of a bad jolt in loss of money or prideand both are closely connectedwe should get off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-sanders/when-we-are-going-through-the-aftereffects-of-a-bad-jolt-in-loss-of/) [Sue Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-sanders/) > [Your strongest enemies know your biggest weak spots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/your-strongest-enemies-know-your-biggest-weak-spots/) [IsiahNunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isiahnunn/) > [If you are strong you can take a punch and not flinch, but if you have a sore spot, a nudge on that sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/if-you-are-strong-you-can-take-a-punch-and-not-flinch-but-if-you-have/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [There was a day on the set of Iron Man where I said, "I remember some of this stuff. I definitely had some Iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gregg/there-was-a-day-on-the-set-of-iron-man-where-i-said-i-remember-some/) [Clark Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gregg/) ## More by Jefferson Davis > [Butler is branded a felon, an outlaw, an enemy of Mankind, and so ordered that in the event of his capture, the officer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/butler-is-branded-a-felon-an-outlaw-an-enemy-of-mankind-and-so/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Whether by the House or by the People, if an Abolitionist be chosen President of the United States, you will have presented to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/whether-by-the-house-or-by-the-people-if-an-abolitionist-be-chosen/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Without doing injustice to the living, it may safely be asserted that our loss is irreparable; and that among the shining hosts of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/without-doing-injustice-to-the-living-it-may-safely-be-asserted-that/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [The Slave must be made fit for his freedom by education and discipline, and thus made unfit for slavery. And as soon as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/the-slave-must-be-made-fit-for-his-freedom-by-education-and/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [This war must go on till the last of this generation falls in his tracks, and his children seize his musket and fight our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/this-war-must-go-on-till-the-last-of-this-generation-falls-in-his/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [I will admit no bond that holds me to a party a day longer than I agree to its principles. When men meet together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/i-will-admit-no-bond-that-holds-me-to-a-party-a-day-longer-than-i/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [How idle is this prating about natural rights as though still containing all that had been forfeited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/how-idle-is-this-prating-about-natural-rights-as-though-still/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [To increase the power, develop the resources and promote the happiness of a Confederacy, it is requisite there should be so much of homogeneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/to-increase-the-power-develop-the-resources-and-promote-the-happiness/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Our armies were in as much chaos in victory as theirs in defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/our-armies-were-in-as-much-chaos-in-victory-as-theirs-in-defeat/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [The authors of all our misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/the-authors-of-all-our-misfortune/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [God forbid that the day should ever come when to be true to my constituents is to be hostile to the Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/god-forbid-that-the-day-should-ever-come-when-to-be-true-to-my/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [For an enemy so relentless in the war for our subjugation, we could not be expected to mourn; yet, in view of its political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/for-an-enemy-so-relentless-in-the-war-for-our-subjugation-we-could/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Governments rest on the consent of the governed, and that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish them at will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/governments-rest-on-the-consent-of-the-governed-and-that-it-is-the/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [My own convictions as to negro slavery are strong. It has its evils and abuses...We recognize the negro as God and God's Book and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/my-own-convictions-as-to-negro-slavery-are-strong-it-has-its-evils/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Neither current events nor history show that the majority rule, or ever did rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/neither-current-events-nor-history-show-that-the-majority-rule-or/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) [Explore all 71 Jefferson Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be not firmly laid in youth, there will ever after be a weak spot in the foundation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jefferson Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-character-and-if-it-be-not-firmly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-character-and-if-it-be-not-firmly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/jefferson-davis-9399_character_truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-charact_1768356.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character, and if it be not firmly laid in youth, there will ever after be…” — Jefferson Davis", "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": "Jefferson Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truthfulness is a cornerstone in character,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-character-and-if-it-be-not-firmly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/truthfulness-is-a-cornerstone-in-character-and-if-it-be-not-firmly/#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 } } ] } ```