Thomas Jefferson
I have been happy . . . in believing that . . . whatever follies we may be led into as to foreign nations, we shall never give up our Union, the last anchor of our hope, and that alone which is to prevent this heavenly country from becoming an arena of gladiators.Collection: Country
Every man cannot have his way in all things. If his opinion prevails at some times, he should acquiesce on seeing that of others preponderate at other times. Without this mutual disposition we are disjointed individuals, but not a society.Collection: Men
A candle loses nothing when it lights another candle.Collection: Light
Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.Collection: Exercise
In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own. It is easier to acquire wealth and power by this combination than by deserving them, and to effect this, they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon, unintelligible to all mankind, and therefore the safer for their purposes.Collection: Country
What has been the effect of [religious] coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.Collection: Religious
The fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follow that, and in its turn wretchedness and oppression.Collection: Horse
It is an insult to our citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not, and blasphemy against religion to suppose it cannot stand the test of truth and reason.Collection: Atheism
It is important to strengthen the State governments; and as this cannot be done by any change in the Federal Constitution (for the preservation of that is all we need contend for), it must be done by the States themselves, erecting such barriers at the constitutional line as cannot be surmounted either by themselves or by the General Government. The only barrier in their power is a wise government. A weak one will lose ground in every contest.Collection: Wise
I have ever deemed it fundamental for the United States never to take active part in the quarrels of Europe.... They are nations of eternal war.Collection: War
If you have any duty which must be done, and it seems disagreeable, do it promptly and have it over.Collection: Done
The power of declaring war being with the Legislature, the Executive should do nothing necessarily committing them to decide for war in preference of non-intercourse, which will be preferred by a great many.Collection: War
Question boldly even the existence of God.Collection: Existence
Where everyman is participator in the government of affairs, not merely at an election one day in the year but everyday, he will let the heart be torn out of his body sooner than his power be wrested from him by a Caesar or a Bonaparte.Collection: Heart
We are destined to be a barrier against the return of ignorance and barbarism. Old Europe will have to lean on our shoulders, and to hobble along by our side, under the monkish trammels of priests and kings, as she can. What a colossus shall we be when the southern continent comes up to our mark! What a stand will it seem as a ralliance for the reason and freedom of the globe!Collection: Kings
The interests of the States... ought to be made joint in every possible instance in order to cultivate the idea of our being one nation, and to multiply the instances in which the people shall look up to Congress as their head.Collection: Ideas
By [the] operations [of public improvement] new channels of communication will be opened between the States; the lines of separation will disappear, their interests will be identified, and their union cemented by new and indissoluble ties.Collection: Communication
Many are the exercises of power reserved to the States wherein a uniformity of proceeding would be advantageous to all. Such are quarantines, health laws, regulations of the press, banking institutions, training militia, etc., etc.Collection: Exercise
[My] pillar of support through life.... I can say conscientiously that I do not know in the world a man of purer integrity, more dispassionate, disinterested, and devoted to genuine Republicanism; nor could I in the whole scope of America and Europe point out an abler head.Collection: Integrity
Societies exist under three forms sufficiently distinguishable. 1. Without government, as among our Indians. 2. Under governments wherein the will of every one has a just influence, as is the case in England in a slight degree, and in our states, in a great one. 3. Under governments of force: as is the case in all other monarchies and in most of the other republics. To have an idea of the curse of existence under these last, they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep.Collection: Sheep
In the legislature, the House of Representatives is chosen by less than half the people, and not at all in proportion to those who do choose. The Senate are still more disproportionate, and for long terms of irresponsibility. In the Executive, the Governor is entirely independent of the choice of the people, and of their control; his Council equally so, and at best but a fifth wheel to a wagon. In the Judiciary, the judges of the highest courts are dependent on none but themselves.Collection: Independent
I have done for my country and for all mankind, all that I could do, and I now resign my soul, without fear, to my God - my daughter to my country.Collection: Daughter
A superintending power to maintain the Universe in its course and order.Collection: Order
Truth can stand by itself...If there be but one right [religion], and [Christianity] that one, we should wish to see the nine hundred and ninety-nine wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth.Collection: Ninety Nine
An industrious farmer occupies a more dignified place in the scale of beings...than a lazy lounger...too proud to work, and drawing out a miserable existence by eating on that surplus of other men's labor.Collection: Men
There is preparing, I hope, under the auspices of heaven, a way for a total emancipation.Collection: Heaven
...It is impossible, I say, for the human mind not to believe that there is in all this design, cause, and effect up to an Ultimate Cause-a Fabricator of all things, from matter and motion-their Preserver and Regulator while permitted to exist in their present forms-and their Regenerator into new and other forms.Collection: Believe
The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate.Collection: Democracy
I am a real Christian, that is to say, a cisciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator.Collection: Christian
The expedition of Messrs. Lewis & Clarke for exploring the river Missouri, & the best communication from that to the Pacific ocean, has had all the success which could have been expected.Collection: Communication
I considered the British as our natural enemies, and as the only nation on earth who wished us ill from the bottom of their souls. And I am satisfied that were our continent to be swallowed up by the ocean, Great Britain would be in a bonfire from one end to the other.Collection: Ocean
Earnestly recommended to all officers and soldiers, diligently to attend divine services.Collection: Soldier
No country and no people can be free and ignorant at the same time.Collection: Country
Never use one word when two will do.Collection: Two
I do verily believe that a single, consolidated government would become the most corrupt government on the earth.Collection: Believe
The religion-builders have so distorted and deformed the doctrines of Jesus, so muffled them in mysticism, fancies, and falsehoods.Collection: Jesus
Every experience deeply felt in life needs to be passed along. Wheather it be through words and music, chiseled in stone, painted with a brush, or sewn with a needle, it is a way of reaching for immortality.Collection: Needs
The opinions of men should not be the object of any government. Our civil rights are no more dependent on our religious beliefs than they are dependent upon our thoughts about geometry or physics!Collection: Religious
Religion, morality, and knowledge are necessary for good government... Therefore schools and the means of educating the people should always be encouraged.Collection: School
Ambition is a tricky little animal to tame. It is very skillful at concealing itself from its master.Collection: Ambition
Big banks are more dangerous than standing armies, and the practice of borrowing and spending money to be paid back by the next generation is stealing from their future.Collection: Army
It is better to have no ideas than false ones.Collection: Ideas
The wisdom of our ages and the blood of our heroes has been devoted to the attainment of trial by jury. It should be the creed of our political faith.Collection: Hero
Taxation is, in fact, the most difficult function of government and that against which their citizens are most apt to be refractory.Collection: Government
Revenue on the consumption of foreign articles is paid cheerfully by those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts.Collection: Luxury
The declaration of rights [Bill of Rights] is, like all other human blessings, alloyed with some inconveniences and not accomplishing fully its object. But the good in this instance vastly outweighs the evil.Collection: Blessing
Dependence begets subservience and paves the way for tyranny.Collection: Way
We figure great careers aren't made. They're experienced.Collection: Careers
An acre of the best ground for hemp, is to be selected and sewn in hemp and be kept for a permanent hemp patch.Collection: Acres