Robert Green Ingersoll

Robert Green Ingersoll – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the fascinating life of Robert Green Ingersoll (1833–1899) — American lawyer, Civil War veteran, orator, and “The Great Agnostic.” Explore his biography, career, philosophy, and his most memorable quotes on religion, freedom, and humanity.

Introduction

Robert Green Ingersoll remains one of 19th-century America’s most provocative and eloquent voices. Known as “The Great Agnostic,” he was not merely a lawyer and political figure, but also a gifted orator whose public lectures challenged religious dogma, championed free thought, and defended civil liberties. Today, Ingersoll’s words still echo in debates on faith, reason, human rights, and the role of skepticism in a democratic society.

Early Life and Family

Robert Green Ingersoll was born on August 11, 1833, in Dresden, New York.

Though the younger Ingersoll was raised in a religious household, he gradually became skeptical of traditional Christian doctrines. His father’s liberal teachings and clashes with institutional religion influenced Robert’s questioning mindset.

Robert’s family moved often when he was a child; for example, when he was only a few months old, the family left Dresden.

Ingersoll married Eva Amelia Parker on February 13, 1862. Eva Ingersoll Brown became a notable feminist and suffragist.

Youth and Education

Ingersoll’s formal schooling was intermittent. Early on, he worked as a teacher for a term in Metropolis, Illinois, where he allowed one of his students to lead much of the teaching while he studied Latin and history.

By 1854, both Robert and his brother Ebon Clarke Ingersoll were admitted to the bar in Illinois, despite this lack of formal legal education.

They initially set up practice in Marion, Illinois, then later moved to Peoria in 1857, which became Robert’s long-term base.

Career and Achievements

Legal Practice

As a practicing attorney, Ingersoll handled several notable cases. He defended clients in major scandals such as the Star Route trials, in which his clients were acquitted.

One curious episode in his legal career involved representing James Reavis, the “Baron of Arizona” land-claim schemer. Ingersoll pronounced Reavis’s land claims valid, though this venture later proved discredited.

Military Service

When the American Civil War broke out, Ingersoll raised the 11th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry and took command, serving with the Union army.

Political Career & Oratory

After the war, Ingersoll entered politics. He served as Attorney General of Illinois from 1867 to 1869. Republican Party and frequently gave speeches supporting Republican candidates.

One of his most famous political speeches is the “Plumed Knight” speech, delivered while nominating James G. Blaine at the 1876 Republican convention. Though Blaine did not win the nomination, the speech itself became a model of political oratory.

In 1880, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher introduced him to a large audience as “the Great Agnostic,” a nickname that stuck.

Ingersoll’s oratory was not limited to politics. He toured extensively across the United States, delivering lectures and essays on literature, science, ethics, religion, and philosophy.

Literary & Philosophical Works

Ingersoll’s speeches and essays were collected posthumously in the famous Dresden ion, a twelve-volume set. Some of his published works include:

• The Gods and Other Lectures

• Some Mistakes of Moses

• Why I Am an Agnostic

• Essays on Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, Voltaire, and others

He also used public addresses to introduce and popularize ideas from Thomas Paine, giving renewed attention to The Age of Reason.

Historical Context & Milestones

Robert Ingersoll lived in a time when public speeches and lecture circuits were major conduits of popular thought and social debate. As America moved past the Civil War, it wrestled with issues of religious authority, scientific progress, women’s rights, civil rights, and the limits of free speech. Ingersoll’s voice entered right into the heart of those debates.

He defended the separation of church and state, opposed religious dogma enforced by law, and was a vocal critic of superstition.

At a time when declaring one’s unbelief could be socially and politically damaging, Ingersoll’s refusal to hide his skepticism limited his electoral prospects—but it also made him a symbol of intellectual courage.

He died on July 21, 1899, in Dobbs Ferry, New York, from congestive heart failure and was buried with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

Legacy and Influence

Ingersoll’s influence extends well beyond his lifetime. He is credited with helping revive interest in Thomas Paine among American intellectuals.

His friendship with poet Walt Whitman bore mutual respect: Ingersoll delivered Whitman’s eulogy after the poet’s death, which became a revered piece of rhetoric.

To modern secular, humanist, and free-thought communities, Ingersoll is a kind of intellectual ancestor—one whose eloquence, moral conviction, and courage in public life remain inspirational.

Personality and Talents

Ingersoll’s persona on stage was magnetic. He combined deep erudition with humor, emotional appeal, and rhetorical power. He often wove literary, historical, scientific, and biblical allusions into his speeches, making them intellectually rich yet emotionally charged.

Often described as affable, witty, and fearless, Ingersoll was not content merely to criticize; he also preached a positive ethic: reason, sincerity, compassion, and respect for human dignity.

His gifts as a public speaker made him one of the most sought-after lecturers of his day. Through his tours he reached audiences far beyond academic or religious circles.

Famous Quotes of Robert Green Ingersoll

Here are some of Ingersoll’s most memorable and often-cited quotations, reflecting his convictions on religion, freedom, and humanity:

“Give to every human being every right that you claim for yourself.” “There are in nature neither rewards nor punishments — there are consequences.” “Happiness is not a reward — it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment — it is a result.” “The time to be happy is now, and the place to be happy is here.” “Let us put theology out of religion. Theology has always sent the worst to heaven, the best to hell.” “To hate man and worship God seems to be the sum of all the creeds.” “In the republic of mediocrity, genius is dangerous.” “I believe in living for this world — that’s my doctrine — to make everybody happy that you can.”

These lines capture both his critique of religious dogma and affirmation of human dignity, reason, and moral responsibility.

Lessons from Robert Green Ingersoll

1. Courage in conviction
   In an era when opposing religious orthodoxy could jeopardize one’s social standing, Ingersoll’s unwillingness to conceal his skepticism is a lesson in moral integrity.

2. Marriage of eloquence and ideas
   His legacy reminds us that ideas gain influence when expressed with clarity, wit, and rhetorical strength.

3. Respect for human dignity
   His insistence that every person deserves the rights we claim ourselves is a powerful ethical standard for advocacy and justice.

4. Hope through reason, not fear
   Ingersoll’s worldview was not nihilistic; rather, he trusted on reason, empathy, and education to improve humanity.

5. Legacy through words
   Though he held few formal offices, his enduring influence shows how the pen (or public speech) can sometimes outlast political power.

Conclusion

Robert Green Ingersoll’s life was one of intellectual bravery and powerful expression. As a lawyer, soldier, political figure, and most of all orator, he used his voice to challenge dogma and uplift the human ideal. His legacy endures in the many who continue to draw inspiration from his eloquent defense of free thought, human dignity, and moral clarity.

If you’d like, I can also prepare a full list of 50 of his best quotes (Vietnamese / English) or discuss his influence in modern secular movements.