--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep steady in the view of the great…" description: "\"Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the lives of all you hold dear depend upon your cou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png" --- # Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which… ![“Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the lives of all you hold dear depend upon your courage and exertions. Let each man resolve to be victorious, and that the right of self government, liberty and peace shall find him a defender.” quote by Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png) > “Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the lives of all you hold dear depend upon your courage and exertions. Let each man resolve to be victorious, and that the right of self government, liberty and peace shall find him a defender.” [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Upholding fundamental values requires personal courage; protecting loved ones depends on collective resolve for **In simple terms:** Courage protects family and liberty Key Takeaway Stand firm for principles Themes courage liberty self‑government defense Mood determined patriotic Type historical motivational When to use this quote - military leadership - family protection - political activism Key Concepts Civic duty moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal risk with duty? - What does true liberty mean to you? A Different Perspective Courage alone cannot guarantee safety; external threats may overwhelm ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Contend Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contend-safety-4597988/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Exertions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-exertions-4597989/) [Dear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear/) [Defenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defenders/) [Depend Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depend-courage-4597990/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Exertion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exertion/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Great Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-principles-1547674/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Principles Contend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles-contend-4597987/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self-government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-government/) [Steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steady/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It will not do merely to listen to great principles. You must apply them in the practical field, turn them into constant practice. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-will-not-do-merely-to-listen-to-great-principles-you-must-apply/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I think its one of the great principles. The element of surprise, I mean, you could take a force that's not nearly as strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-its-one-of-the-great-principles-the-element-of-surprise-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There were certain great principles involved in the organization of this earth, and one was that there might be a place provided whereon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/there-were-certain-great-principles-involved-in-the-organization-of/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [“In the course conversation I heard from N. F. that the so-called great principles of the great French Revolution-freedom, equality, and brotherhood-are the product…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-peterson/in-the-course-conversation-i-heard-from-n-f-that-the-so-called-great/) [Nikolai Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-peterson/) > [Great men simplify great principles and make them easily intelligible to ordinary men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tunku-abdul-rahman/great-men-simplify-great-principles-and-make-them-easily-intelligible/) [Tunku Abdul Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tunku-abdul-rahman/) > [Great principles, great ideals know no nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/great-principles-great-ideals-know-no-nationality/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [“His idea was to begin with those broad truths that must underlie all conceivable mental existences and establish a basis on those. The great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/his-idea-was-to-begin-with-those-broad-truths-that-must-underlie-all/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [Ahimsa is one of the world's great principles, which no power on earth can wipe out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-is-one-of-the-world-s-great-principles-which-no-power-on-earth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/when-great-changes-occur-in-history-when-great-principles-are/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [This path that we are now starting will be long, and we must follow it to remind ourselves of the great principles that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forne-molne/this-path-that-we-are-now-starting-will-be-long-and-we-must-follow-it/) [Marc Forne Molne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forne-molne/) > [A free, virtuous, and enlightened people must know full well the great principles and causes upon which their happiness depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-monroe/a-free-virtuous-and-enlightened-people-must-know-full-well-the-great/) [James Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-monroe/) > [Nations are beginning to look to some vague organization, some nebulous course of humanity, to pay their bills and tell them what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/nations-are-beginning-to-look-to-some-vague-organization-some/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [My most earnest wish is to see the republican element of popular control pushed to the maximum of its practicable exercise. I shall then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/my-most-earnest-wish-is-to-see-the-republican-element-of-popular/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/may-it-be-to-the-world-to-assume-the-blessings-and-security-of-self/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) ## More by Robert E. Lee > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [...the framers of our Constitution never exhausted so much labor, wisdom and forbearance in its formation if it was intended to be broken up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/the-framers-of-our-constitution-never-exhausted-so-much-labor-wisdom/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [My trust is in the mercy and wisdom of a kind Providence, who ordereth all things for our good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/my-trust-is-in-the-mercy-and-wisdom-of-a-kind-providence-who-ordereth/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [All military history records the triumphs of discipline and courage far more frequently than numbers and resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/all-military-history-records-the-triumphs-of-discipline-and-courage/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/a-true-man-of-honor-feels-humbled-himself-when-he-cannot-help/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I will attack no matter what and win the war!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/i-will-attack-no-matter-what-and-win-the-war/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [A man may manifest and communicate his joy, but he should conceal and smother his grief as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/a-man-may-manifest-and-communicate-his-joy-but-he-should-conceal-and/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [We poor sinners need to come back from our wanderings to seek pardon through the all-sufficient merits of our Redeemer. And we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/we-poor-sinners-need-to-come-back-from-our-wanderings-to-seek-pardon/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Life processes take place in an aqueous medium. All organisms are composed mostly of water, whether they dwell in the oceans, lakes, and rivers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/life-processes-take-place-in-an-aqueous-medium-all-organisms-are/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [We cannot afford to be idle, and though weaker than our opponents in men and military equipments, must endeavor to harass, if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/we-cannot-afford-to-be-idle-and-though-weaker-than-our-opponents-in/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [We must forgive our enemies. I can truly say that not a day has passed since the war began that I have not prayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/we-must-forgive-our-enemies-i-can-truly-say-that-not-a-day-has-passed/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Lee tells his troops. After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/lee-tells-his-troops-after-four-years-of-arduous-service-marked-by/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/obedience-to-lawful-authority-is-the-foundation-of-manly-character/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) [Explore all 170 Robert E. Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## More Civil war quotes > [“Time overlaps itself. A breath breathed from a passing breeze is not the whole wind, neither is it just the last of what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/time-overlaps-itself-a-breath-breathed-from-a-passing-breeze-is-not/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Whatever happened in those more than one hundred years, from the time my great-great-great grandfather studied law to the time when my own father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenn-wright/whatever-happened-in-those-more-than-one-hundred-years-from-the-time/) [Gwenn Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenn-wright/) > [“AUSTRALIA, LIKE THE UNITED STATES, experienced a different path to inclusive institutions than the one taken by England. The same revolutions that shook England…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/australia-like-the-united-states-experienced-a-different-path-to/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [“Thinking about the weather was one way of shutting out of his mind the appalling bloody human mess sprawled out over the bed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellis/thinking-about-the-weather-was-one-way-of-shutting-out-of-his-mind/) [Mark Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ellis/) > [It cost about 75 cents to kill a man in Ceasar's time. The price rose to about $3,000 per man during the Napoleonic wars;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-bone/it-cost-about-75-cents-to-kill-a-man-in-ceasar-s-time-the-price-rose/) [Homer Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-bone/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“ “In the South, football is confused with religion, chivalry, the Civil War, and women.” -Diane Roberts, The Quotable South ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/in-the-south-football-is-confused-with-religion-chivalry-the-civil/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [“By the following morning, September 15, Jackson had positioned nearly fifty guns on Maryland Heights and at the base of Loudoun Heights.  Then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/by-the-following-morning-september-15-jackson-had-positioned-nearly/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [Strange, (is it not?) that battles, martyrs, blood, even assassination should so condense - perhaps only really lastingly condense - a Nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/strange-is-it-not-that-battles-martyrs-blood-even-assassination/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Civil wars...are the best wars for the writer...because they have a way of continuing long afterwl wars between nations are resolved; because, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/civil-wars-are-the-best-wars-for-the-writer-because-they-have-a-way/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [I am out of money,we are all out of money,but we dont need money down here- Dont need anything but Men , Muskets, Ammunition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-connolly/i-am-out-of-money-we-are-all-out-of-money-but-we-dont-need-money-down/) [James A. Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-connolly/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [“Only twenty - nine years in the entire human history had been without warfare, and now here he was too, travelling between the episodes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/only-twenty-nine-years-in-the-entire-human-history-had-been-without/) [Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/) [Browse all 1,714 Civil war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the lives of all you hold dear depend upon your courage and exertions. Let each man resolve to be victorious, and that the right of self government, liberty and peace shall find him a defender.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert E. Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-principles-for-which-you-contend/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil war" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-principles-for-which-you-contend/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/robert-e-lee-2368_civil-war_keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-pri_2162943.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the…” — Robert E. Lee", "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": "Robert E. Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Keep steady in the view of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-principles-for-which-you-contend/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/keep-steady-in-the-view-of-the-great-principles-for-which-you-contend/#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 } } ] } ```