The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground. government
Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. wisdom
One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them. hope
The good opinion of mankind, like the lever of Archimedes, with the given fulcrum, moves the world. good
I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive. government
Never spend your money before you have earned it. money
The most successful war seldom pays for its losses. war
Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor - over each other. religion
When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. fear & government
One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more. alone & travel
Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast. best & fitness
War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses. war
It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good. good, men & time
I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind. war
It is neither wealth nor splendor but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness. happiness
Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations. money
There is not a truth existing which I fear... or would wish unknown to the whole world. fear & truth
I find that he is happiest of whom the world says least, good or bad. good
Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government. government
History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is. government & history
My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. government & history
It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. alone, government & truth
Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct. politics
I have seen enough of one war never to wish to see another. war
I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. God
When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property. trust
Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it. love & politics
As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also. men
Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind. happiness
Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it. friendship & peace
I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. dreams, future & history
One man with courage is a majority. courage
For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security. best
Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival. beauty & wisdom
When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred. anger
I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend. politics & religion
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors. knowledge & truth
I have no ambition to govern men it is a painful and thankless office. men & politics
Truth is certainly a branch of morality and a very important one to society. society & truth
Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances. cool
My only fear is that I may live too long. This would be a subject of dread to me. fear
Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong. truth
Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you. motivational
It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read. religion
Conquest is not in our principles. It is inconsistent with our government. government
The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government. good, government, happiness & life
It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. God
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty. age
Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations entangling alliances with none. friendship & peace
He who knows best knows how little he knows. best
There is a natural aristocracy among men. The grounds of this are virtue and talents. men
The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind. government & war
I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just that his justice cannot sleep forever. God
The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. God, life & time
If God is just, I tremble for my country. God
I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master. fear & men
My theory has always been, that if we are to dream, the flatteries of hope are as cheap, and pleasanter, than the gloom of despair. hope
Power is not alluring to pure minds. power
That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part. government
Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories. alone & government
The second office in the government is honorable and easy the first is but a splendid misery. government
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory. imagination
To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education. education
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive. government
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. time
Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty. men
I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be. hope, power & wisdom
No government ought to be without censors and where the press is free no one ever will. government
The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money. inspirational & money
I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another. good