--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let no guilty man escape, if it can he…" description: "\"Let no guilty man escape, if it can he avoided. . . . No personal consideration should stand in the way of performing a public duty.\" — Ulysses S. Grant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/ulysses-s-grant-1793_avoided_let-no-guilty-man-escape-if-it-can-he-av_327225.jpg" --- # Let no guilty man escape, if it can he avoided. . . . No… ![“Let no guilty man escape, if it can he avoided. . . . No personal consideration should stand in the way of performing a public duty.” quote by Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/ulysses-s-grant-1793_avoided_let-no-guilty-man-escape-if-it-can-he-av_327225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/ulysses-s-grant-1793_avoided_let-no-guilty-man-escape-if-it-can-he-av_327225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/ulysses-s-grant-1793_avoided_let-no-guilty-man-escape-if-it-can-he-av_327225.jpg) > “Let no guilty man escape, if it can he avoided. . . . No personal consideration should stand in the way of performing a public duty.” [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. Public duty must outweigh personal ties; no one should be exempt from responsibility. **In simple terms:** Duty over personal favors. Key Takeaway Prioritize public responsibilities over personal bias. Themes duty ethics impartiality Mood serious thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - government work - law enforcement - public office - community service Key Concepts public service moral obligation Questions to Reflect On - When should personal compassion override duty? - How to balance fairness and empathy? A Different Perspective Rigid duty may ignore compassionate exceptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoided/) [Avoided Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoided-personal-3071454/) [Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consideration/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Escape Avoided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape-avoided-3071452/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing/) [Personal Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-consideration-3071455/) [Public Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-duty-3071453/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Let no guilty man escape if it can be avoided. Be specially vigilant-or instruct those engaged in the prosecution of fraud to be-against all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/let-no-guilty-man-escape-if-it-can-be-avoided-be-specially-vigilant/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“Only a keen sense of public duty restrains me from plugging you where you sit, you ineffable swine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-a-keen-sense-of-public-duty-restrains-me-from-plugging-you-where/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The military is diverse and large, and it's public: it serves a public function; it serves a public duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/the-military-is-diverse-and-large-and-it-s-public-it-serves-a-public/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [I consider it a public duty to answer falsifications with facts. I will not pretend that I find this an unpleasant duty. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-consider-it-a-public-duty-to-answer-falsifications-with-facts-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One reads for pleasure...it is not a public duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/one-reads-for-pleasure-it-is-not-a-public-duty/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [A garden is a public service and having one a public duty. It is a man's contribution to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richardson-wright/a-garden-is-a-public-service-and-having-one-a-public-duty-it-is-a-man/) [Richardson Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richardson-wright/) > [I've always avoided publicity. I've never been good copy at any stage of my life. 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Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Usually I avoided college students, whom I considered brutal, wrapped up in themselves, particularly in their youth, in which they found material for drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/usually-i-avoided-college-students-whom-i-considered-brutal-wrapped/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I read actual physical books and have thus far avoided the electronic lure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-read-actual-physical-books-and-have-thus-far-avoided-the-electronic/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“war is not so to be avoided, but is only deferred to your disadvantage”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/war-is-not-so-to-be-avoided-but-is-only-deferred-to-your-disadvantage/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. 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If you look at my films, few of them have that element,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-scacchi/i-avoided-nudity-unless-a-film-couldn-t-be-told-without-those-scenes/) [Greta Scacchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-scacchi/) ## 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 Avoided quotes > [I avoided nudity unless a film couldn't be told without those scenes. If you look at my films, few of them have that element,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-scacchi/i-avoided-nudity-unless-a-film-couldn-t-be-told-without-those-scenes/) [Greta Scacchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-scacchi/) > [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/) > [Poetry in love is no more to be avoided than jealousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/poetry-in-love-is-no-more-to-be-avoided-than-jealousy/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. 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Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [“war is not so to be avoided, but is only deferred to your disadvantage”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/war-is-not-so-to-be-avoided-but-is-only-deferred-to-your-disadvantage/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I read actual physical books and have thus far avoided the electronic lure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-read-actual-physical-books-and-have-thus-far-avoided-the-electronic/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Usually I avoided college students, whom I considered brutal, wrapped up in themselves, particularly in their youth, in which they found material for drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/usually-i-avoided-college-students-whom-i-considered-brutal-wrapped/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Specialness as a primary mode of death transcendence takes a number of other maladaptive forms. 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