--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Another anecdote characteristic of these…" description: "\"“Another anecdote characteristic of these times has been told. The South, prior to the rebellion, kept bloodhounds to pursue runaway slaves who took re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/ulysses-s-grant-1793_time_another-anecdote-characteristic-of-these_1440107.jpg" --- # Another anecdote characteristic of these times has been… ![“Another anecdote characteristic of these times has been told. The South, prior to the rebellion, kept bloodhounds to pursue runaway slaves who took refuge in the neighboring swamps, and also to hunt convicts. Orders were issued to kill all these animals as they were met with. On one occasion a…” quote by Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/ulysses-s-grant-1793_time_another-anecdote-characteristic-of-these_1440107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/ulysses-s-grant-1793_time_another-anecdote-characteristic-of-these_1440107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/ulysses-s-grant-1793_time_another-anecdote-characteristic-of-these_1440107.jpg) > ““Another anecdote characteristic of these times has been told. The South, prior to the rebellion, kept bloodhounds to pursue runaway slaves who took refuge in the neighboring swamps, and also to hunt convicts. Orders were issued to kill all these animals as they were met with. On one occasion a soldier picked up a poodle, the favorite pet of its mistress, and was carrying it off to execution when the lady made a strong appeal to him to spare it. The soldier replied, “Madam, our orders are to kill every bloodhound.” “But this is not a bloodhound,” said the lady. “Well, madam, we cannot tell what it will grow into if we leave it behind,” said the soldier as he went off with it.”” [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The story illustrates how rigid obedience to orders can override moral judgment, even when the target is clearly not the intended one. **In simple terms:** Blind obedience can cause harm when rules are applied without discernment. Key Takeaway Question orders with conscience. Themes authority obedience morality Mood conflicted thoughtful Type historical ethical When to use this quote - military discipline - law enforcement - animal welfare - civil rights activism Key Concepts ethical dilemmas bureaucratic rigidity dehumanization Questions to Reflect On - When should you question an order? - How do you balance duty with compassion? A Different Perspective Blind adherence may ignore context, leading to unnecessary cruelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bloodhounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloodhounds/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [How did you find me anyway." "For all that I must keep reminding you that I am not a bloodhound, it's true that on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-did-you-find-me-anyway-for-all-that-i-must-keep-reminding-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every man that tried to destroy the Government, every man that shot at the holy flag in heaven, every man that starved our soldiers...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/every-man-that-tried-to-destroy-the-government-every-man-that-shot-at/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Just as Uncle Tom, back during slavery used to keep the Negroes from resisting the bloodhound or resisting the Ku Klux Klan by teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/just-as-uncle-tom-back-during-slavery-used-to-keep-the-negroes-from/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [But thus I counsel you, my friends: Mistrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful. They are people of a low sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/but-thus-i-counsel-you-my-friends-mistrust-all-in-whom-the-impulse-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [So swift, silent and furtive were his movements like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/so-swift-silent-and-furtive-were-his-movements-like-those-of-a-2/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Westley and I are joined by the bond of love and you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/westley-and-i-are-joined-by-the-bond-of-love-and-you-cannot-track/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, for the people and by the people, but a government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-lease/wall-street-owns-the-country-it-is-no-longer-a-government-of-the/) [Mary Elizabeth Lease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-lease/) > [“The call of the yellow-billed cuckoo of North America is often mistaken for a bloodhound drinking a bowl of milk. He goes coulp coulp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/the-call-of-the-yellow-billed-cuckoo-of-north-america-is-often/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [One thought alone preoccupies the submerged mind of Empire: how not to end, how not to die, how to prolong its era. By day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-thought-alone-preoccupies-the-submerged-mind-of-empire-how-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All you've got is the word of a fool dog. It's been my experience that a bloodhound is the foolishest dog that is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stallings/all-you-ve-got-is-the-word-of-a-fool-dog-it-s-been-my-experience-that/) [Laurence Stallings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-stallings/) > [I say you are a coward and you are; I think you hunt only to reassure yourself that you are not what you are:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/i-say-you-are-a-coward-and-you-are-i-think-you-hunt-only-to-reassure/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [“The dogs looked sad as they were nudged from the back of the car. They were big, red brutes with kind eyes. Their ears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-h-street/the-dogs-looked-sad-as-they-were-nudged-from-the-back-of-the-car-they/) James H. Street > [Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/erudition-like-a-bloodhound-is-a-charming-thing-when-held-firmly-in/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Borrow my umbrellas, my clothes, my money, and I will likely not think of them again. But borrow my books and I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/borrow-my-umbrellas-my-clothes-my-money-and-i-will-likely-not-think/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [A hundred years ago the American white men used to put on a white sheet and use a bloodhound against Negroes. Today they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-hundred-years-ago-the-american-white-men-used-to-put-on-a-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by Ulysses S. Grant > [“In the early days of the country, before we had railroads, telegraphs and steamboats—in a word, rapid transit of any sort—the States were each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/in-the-early-days-of-the-country-before-we-had-railroads-telegraphs/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“The much talked of surrendering of Lee’s sword and my handing it back, this and much more that has been said about it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/the-much-talked-of-surrendering-of-lee-s-sword-and-my-handing-it-back/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“General Lee was dressed in a full uniform which was entirely new, and was wearing a sword of considerable value, very likely the sword…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/general-lee-was-dressed-in-a-full-uniform-which-was-entirely-new-and/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“The great bulk of the legal voters of the South were men who owned no slaves; their homes were generally in the hills and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/the-great-bulk-of-the-legal-voters-of-the-south-were-men-who-owned-no/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/if-we-are-to-have-another-contest-in-the-near-future-of-our-national/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [...but for a soldier his duty is plain. He is to obey the orders of all those placed over him and whip the enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/but-for-a-soldier-his-duty-is-plain-he-is-to-obey-the-orders-of-all/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“I was afraid, every morning, that I would awake from my sleep to hear that Lee had gone, and that nothing was left but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/i-was-afraid-every-morning-that-i-would-awake-from-my-sleep-to-hear/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“The efforts to kill off politically the two successful generals, made them both candidates for the Presidency. General Taylor was nominated in 1848, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/the-efforts-to-kill-off-politically-the-two-successful-generals-made/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/hold-fast-to-the-bible-to-the-influence-of-this-book-we-are-indebted/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“The fact is the constitution did not apply to any such contingency as the one existing from 1861 to 1865. Its framers never dreamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/the-fact-is-the-constitution-did-not-apply-to-any-such-contingency-as/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/it-was-my-fortune-or-misfortune-to-be-called-to-the-office-of-chief/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [No other terms than unconditional and immediate surrender. I propose to move immediately upon your works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/no-other-terms-than-unconditional-and-immediate-surrender-i-propose/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [I would suggest the taxation of all property equally whether church or corporation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/i-would-suggest-the-taxation-of-all-property-equally-whether-church/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [I know only two tunes: one of them is 'Yankee Doodle,' and the other isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/i-know-only-two-tunes-one-of-them-is-yankee-doodle-and-the-other-isn-t/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“I could have allowed myself more time. I have used my best efforts, with the aid of my eldest son, F. D. Grant, assisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/i-could-have-allowed-myself-more-time-i-have-used-my-best-efforts/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) [Explore all 208 Ulysses S. Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) ## More Bloodhounds quotes > [How did you find me anyway." "For all that I must keep reminding you that I am not a bloodhound, it's true that on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-did-you-find-me-anyway-for-all-that-i-must-keep-reminding-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Borrow my umbrellas, my clothes, my money, and I will likely not think of them again. But borrow my books and I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/borrow-my-umbrellas-my-clothes-my-money-and-i-will-likely-not-think/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/erudition-like-a-bloodhound-is-a-charming-thing-when-held-firmly-in/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“The dogs looked sad as they were nudged from the back of the car. They were big, red brutes with kind eyes. Their ears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-h-street/the-dogs-looked-sad-as-they-were-nudged-from-the-back-of-the-car-they/) James H. Street > [I say you are a coward and you are; I think you hunt only to reassure yourself that you are not what you are:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/i-say-you-are-a-coward-and-you-are-i-think-you-hunt-only-to-reassure/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [All you've got is the word of a fool dog. It's been my experience that a bloodhound is the foolishest dog that is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stallings/all-you-ve-got-is-the-word-of-a-fool-dog-it-s-been-my-experience-that/) [Laurence Stallings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-stallings/) > [One thought alone preoccupies the submerged mind of Empire: how not to end, how not to die, how to prolong its era. By day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-thought-alone-preoccupies-the-submerged-mind-of-empire-how-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The call of the yellow-billed cuckoo of North America is often mistaken for a bloodhound drinking a bowl of milk. He goes coulp coulp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/the-call-of-the-yellow-billed-cuckoo-of-north-america-is-often/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, for the people and by the people, but a government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-lease/wall-street-owns-the-country-it-is-no-longer-a-government-of-the/) [Mary Elizabeth Lease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-lease/) > [Westley and I are joined by the bond of love and you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/westley-and-i-are-joined-by-the-bond-of-love-and-you-cannot-track/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [So swift, silent and furtive were his movements like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/so-swift-silent-and-furtive-were-his-movements-like-those-of-a-2/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [But thus I counsel you, my friends: Mistrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful. They are people of a low sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/but-thus-i-counsel-you-my-friends-mistrust-all-in-whom-the-impulse-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Just as Uncle Tom, back during slavery used to keep the Negroes from resisting the bloodhound or resisting the Ku Klux Klan by teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/just-as-uncle-tom-back-during-slavery-used-to-keep-the-negroes-from/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Every man that tried to destroy the Government, every man that shot at the holy flag in heaven, every man that starved our soldiers...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/every-man-that-tried-to-destroy-the-government-every-man-that-shot-at/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [A hundred years ago the American white men used to put on a white sheet and use a bloodhound against Negroes. Today they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-hundred-years-ago-the-american-white-men-used-to-put-on-a-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Browse all 17 Bloodhounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloodhounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Another anecdote characteristic of these times has been told. The South, prior to the rebellion, kept bloodhounds to pursue runaway slaves who took refuge in the neighboring swamps, and also to hunt convicts. Orders were issued to kill all these animals as they were met with. On one occasion a soldier picked up a poodle, the favorite pet of its mistress, and was carrying it off to execution when the lady made a strong appeal to him to spare it. 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