| Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations. 1989. | | | |
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| | | NUMBER: | 1571 |
| AUTHOR: | Silas Wright (1795–1847) |
| QUOTATION: | The office should seek the man, not man the office. |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Attributed to SILAS WRIGHT.—Edward Parsons Day, Day’s Collacon, p. 684 (1884). Unverified.
According to biographies, this is in character. Wright was a nineteenth century representative and senator from New York, and served as governor of New York. In 1844, he declined a Supreme Court appointment, refused to be considered for the presidential nomination and declined, when nominated, to be a candidate for the vice presidency.—Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 10, part 2, p. 556. |
| SUBJECTS: | Public service |
| BIOGRAPHY: | Columbia Encyclopedia | | |
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