Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men who disgrace labor.

The line asserts a moral distinction between work itself and the character of the worker. Grant’s aphorism rejects the idea—common in rigid class societies—that manual or paid labor is inherently degrading. Instead, it locates “disgrace” in individual conduct: dishonesty, laziness, cruelty, or incompetence can tarnish the reputation of an occupation, but the occupation is not shameful in itself. Read this way, the quote functions as a democratic defense of dignity in work and a rebuke to both snobbery (which looks down on labor) and to workers who behave in ways that confirm prejudices. It also implies civic responsibility: personal integrity elevates the standing of labor in public life.