Leopold II of Belgium Quotes

Young trees need stakes to support them, but the stakes must be removed once the trees begin to grow, precisely so not to hinder their growth.

I would like to do something in Africa; I've been thinking about this for a few days now and would like you to help me. Here are my first impressions, think about it. I know your talent and your sagacious and devoted mind; I know that the day you get down to it, I will be able to count on you. peaceful and humanitarianism is my only concern.

Trading posts and colonies, gentlemen, have not only strengthened the commercial positions of the peoples concerned; these nations owe their greatness to these institutions.

Leopold II, Het hele Verhaal, Johan Op De Beeck Horizon, 2020

In the prosecution of these labours, the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society desire gratefully to acknowledge the many signal and helpful proofs they have received of Your Gracious Majesty's approval and support; and very specially at this juncture they are pleased to express to Your Majesty their respectful appreciation of the great boon granted "to all religious, scientific and charitable institutions," by the reduction of direct and personal taxes by 50 per cent, from, on, and after the first day of July last, as proclaimed by Your Majesty's command in the May and June issues of the Bulletin officiel de I'Etat independant du Congo, which the Committee regard as a further and significant proof of Your Majesty's desire to promote the truest welfare of Your Majesty's Congo subjects, and to help forward all institutions calculated to produce enduring and beneficent results."

To open to civilization the only part of the globe not yet explored, to penetrate the shadows that envelope its entire population; This is, I make bold to say a crusade worthy of this century of progress, and I am happy to note that public opinion is favorable to its undertaking.

The terms of the treaties Stanley has made with native chiefs do not satisfy me. There must at least be an added article to the effect that they delegate to us their sovereign rights, the treaties must be as brief as possible and in a couple of articles must grant us everything.

Hopefully they won't mess up my Congo!

If you yield so much as an inch of the Congo, your old King will rise from his grave to blame you.

I want the great effort which must permanently open Africa to civilization to take a date in Belgium.

The ivory issue worries me more and more. I am not forgetting any of the considerations that Your Majesty has deigned to point out to me, but commerce will want to be reassured as to the limits of competition.

India has never cost England one centime. it paid back What it cost. India provides a livelihood for all benjamins of English families.

If the knowledge of foreign languages is particularly useful in our time, that of national languages is a necessity. It is necessary to have them taught to the youth simultaneously, and it is to be desired that their use should become more and more common to all Belgians.

In dealing with a race composed of cannibals for thousands of years, it is necessary to use methods which will best shape their idleness, and make them realize the sanctity of work.

I sleep poorly. This long abstinence is destroying me. My nature needs frequent contacts with the beautiful gender. I don't understand how priests can live like this.