 The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground. |
| Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains. |
| A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference. |
| I think with the Romans, that the general of today should be a soldier tomorrow if necessary. |
| Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day. |
| One man with courage is a majority. |
| It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it. |
| Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual. |
| Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question. |
| That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves. |
| Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it. |
| The second office in the government is honorable and easy; the first is but a splendid misery. |
| Force is the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism. |
| Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition. |
| The world is indebted for all triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression. |
| Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong. |
| Delay is preferable to error. |
| Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us. |
| Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. |
| Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people. |
