"No man has ever yet been hanged for breaking the spirit of a law"

This quote by Grover Cleveland is a tip that laws are not always enforced in the exact same way. While the letter of the law may be strictly implemented, the spirit of the law is typically more lax. This quote suggests that even if somebody breaks the spirit of the law, they may not be penalized as harshly as if they had broken the letter of the law. This is a crucial suggestion that laws are not constantly black and white, which there is often room for interpretation. It also recommends that the justice system ought to take into consideration the spirit of the law when making choices about how to punish somebody for breaking it. This quote is a pointer that justice need to be applied fairly and with consideration for the spirit of the law.