 The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it. |
| It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a Free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his personal services to the defense of it. |
| To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace. |
| Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth. |
| Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light. |
| True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation. |
| The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments. Topics: Government |
| I walk on untrodden ground. There is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn into precedent. |
| It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one. |
| The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure. |
| The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves. |
| Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty. |
| Lenience will operate with greater force, in some instances than rigor. It is therefore my first wish to have all of my conduct distinguished by it. |
| Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. Topics: Government |
| I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of slavery. |
| Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession. |
| Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth. |
| Bad seed is a robbery of the worst kind: for your pocket-book not only suffers by it, but your preparations are lost and a season passes away unimproved. |
