"One thing we have endeavoured to observe most scrupulously, namely, never to depart from the strictest facts and, in dealing with the difficult questions that have arisen during the year, we hope that we have used the utmost moderation possible under the circumstances." - Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi

Honesty Ethics Integrity

“One thing we have endeavoured to observe most scrupulously, namely, never to depart from the strictest facts and, in dealing with the difficult questions that have arisen during the year, we hope that we have used the utmost moderation possible under the circumstances.”

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Probable attribution

This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.

Likely origin: Listed in The Essential Gandhi anthology (per discovery); reads as an editorial/annual-report note; no dated primary confirmed.

About this quote

Credibility rests on two disciplines: sticking strictly to the facts, and keeping a measured tone even on the hardest questions. Restraint here isn't weakness; it's what lets people trust an account of a dispute they themselves feel strongly about.

When to use it

A reporter double-checks every claim and drops the inflammatory wording before filing a tense story.
An accountant records a client's numbers exactly as they are, resisting pressure to spin them.
A committee writes up a bitter dispute in neutral, factual language both sides can accept as accurate.