Patrick Henry
Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!Collection: Patriotism
We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.Collection: Alone
I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.Collection: Future
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.Collection: Experience
For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and provide for it.Collection: Truth
It is natural to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes to that siren until she allures us to our death.Collection: Hope
I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion.Collection: Family
This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.Collection: Religion
Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?Collection: Trust
Do you remember any instance where tyranny was destroyed and freedom established on its ruins, among a people possessing so small a share of virtue and public spirit? I recollect none, and this more than the British arms makes me fearful of final success, without a reform.Collection: Freedom
When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object.Collection: Patriotism
The great object is that every man be armed.Collection: Great
Give me liberty or give me death.Collection: Death
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.Collection: Freedom
The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.Collection: Religion
Perfect freedom is as necessary to the health and vigor of commerce as it is to the health and vigor of citizenship.Collection: Health
We are descended from a people whose government was founded on liberty; our glorious forefathers of Great Britain made liberty the foundation of everything. That country is become a great, mighty, and splendid nation; not because their government is strong and energetic, but, sir, because liberty is its direct end and foundation.Collection: Government
Fear is the passion of slaves.Collection: Fear
Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.Collection: Freedom
If this be treason, make the most of it!
Unite liberality with a just frugality; always reserve something for the hand of charity; and never let your door be closed to the voice of suffering humanity.
The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian but an American.
I have had many anxieties for our commonwealth, principally occasioned by the depreciation of our money.
Shall we, who have laid the proud British lion at our feet, now be afraid of his whelps?
Would any one believe that I am master of slaves by my own purchase? I am drawn along by the general inconvenience of living without them.
It is a debt we owe to the purity of our religion to show that it is at variance with that law which warrants slavery.
It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains.Collection: Rights
Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.Collection: Freedom
My most cherished possession I wish I could leave you is my faith in Jesus Christ, for with Him and nothing else you can be happy, but without Him and with all else you'll never be happy.Collection: Jesus
United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.Collection: Fall
[Our Constitution] is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.Collection: Government
The militia is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it. The great object is that every man be armed.Collection: Men
Power is the great evil with which we are contending. We have divided power between three branches of government and erected checks and balances to prevent abuse of power. However, where is the check on the power of the judiciary? If we fail to check the power of the judiciary, I predict that we will eventually live under judicial tyranny.Collection: Government
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, “Peace! Peace!” — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!Collection: Life
Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.Collection: Country
You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever.Collection: Jealous
Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?Collection: Real
I know not what others may choose but, as for me, give me liberty or give me death.Collection: Inspirational
Were my soul trembling on the wing of eternity, were this hand freezing to death, were my voice choking with the last struggle, I would still, with the last gasp of that voice, implore you to remember the truth: God has given America to be free.Collection: Struggle
. . . Virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone that renders us invincible. These are the tactics we should study. If we lose these, we are conquered, fallen indeed . . . so long as our manners and principles remain sound, there is no danger.Collection: Long
It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts... For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide for it.Collection: Song
Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty?Collection: Country
The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable.Collection: Differences
Bad men cannot make good citizens. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience are incompatible with freedom.Collection: Men
The officers of Congress, may come upon you now, fortified with all the terrors of paramount federal authority. Excisemen taxmen may come in multitudes; for the limitation of their numbers no man knows. They may, unless the general government be restrained ... go into your cellars and rooms, and search, ransack, and measure, everything you eat, drink, and wear.Collection: Men
If you have given up your militia, and Congress shall refuse to arm them, you have lost every thing. Your existence will be precarious, because you depend on others, whose interests are not affected by your infelicity.Collection: Arms
The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.Collection: Inspirational
We should transmit to posterity our abhorrence of slavery.Collection: Slavery
First, the constitution ought to secure a genuine and guard against a select militia, by providing that the militia shall always be kept well organized, armed, and disciplined, and include, according to the past and general usuage of the states, all men capable of bearing arms; and that all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenceless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments in the community to be avoided.Collection: Military
The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible.Collection: Government