Some accidental dissent does not prevent me to be the most sincere and passionate admirer of yours.

Frédéric Bastiat
Complete Works, Volume 7, pages 373 to 374 (in French)
March 7th, 1845

Here is a thank you letter to Alphonse de Lamartine who reacted to the open letter that had been published in the Journal des Economistes, Letter from an Economist to Mr. de Lamartine. The latter was eloquent in favour of freedom but, according to Frédéric Bastiat, was erring in supporting the right to work (the unfortunate experience of the National Workshops three years later tends to support the position of Frédéric Bastiat on this point).

I choose today’s quote because it shows that it is possible to respect each other despite divergences of understanding. Liberalism recognises free will as one of the major functions of the individual and refuses to impose its own views, at least for the simple reason that when two ideas are conflicting, one is closer to the truth than the other but it is not possible to know which one. To argue according to one’s own convictions is an absolute right, that of freedom of speech, and because it is absolute, it is also (and mainly) the right of those with whom one disagrees. The fight must be that of ideas, not that of persons.