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John Adams Quotes - Page 6

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Let justice be done though the heavens should fall.

Let justice be done though the heavens should fall.

John Adams
Fall, Bad Ass, Justice
John Adams, Robert Joseph Taylor (1983). “Papers of John Adams”

The study and practice of law ... does not dissolve the obligations of morality or of religion.

John Adams
Law, Practice, Doe
John Adams (1856). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.32

[J]udges, therefore, should be always men of learning and experience in the laws, of exemplary morals, great patience, calmness, coolness, and attention. Their minds should not be distracted with jarring interests; they should not be dependent upon any man, or body of men.

John Adams
Character, Men, Law
John Adams (1851). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.198

America is destined to be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, professing one general system of religious and political principles, and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages and customs.

John Adams
Religious, America, Political
Adams, John Quincy (1914). “Writings of John Quincy Adams Volume 4”, p.209, Best Books on

Will you tell me how to prevent riches from producing luxury? Will you tell me how to prevent luxury from producing effeminacy, intoxication, extravagance, vice and folly?

John Adams
Luxury, Riches, Vices
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1856). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.386

This is a revolution, damn it! We're going to have to offend somebody!

John Adams
Animal, Revolution, Animal Rights

I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations. They are the most glorious nation that ever inhabited this Earth. The Romans and their empire were but a bubble in comparison to the Jews. They have given religion to three-quarters of the globe and have influenced the affairs of mankind more and more happily than any other nation, ancient or modern.

John Adams
Atheist, Believe, Fate
Letter to F. A. Van der Kemp, February 16, 1808.

The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.

John Adams
Ideas, Law, Justice
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1851). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.9

We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of preserving the balance of power on the side of liberty and public virtue is to make the acquisition of land easy to every member of society; to make a division of the land into small quantities, so that the multitude may be possessed of landed estates.

John Adams
Land, Balance, Liberty
John Adams, Frederick K. Sanders (1975). “John Adams Speaking: Pound's Sources for the Adams Cantos”

Mystery is made a convenient Cover for absurdity.

John Adams
Atheist, Jesus, Faith Religion
Diary of John Adams, www.beliefnet.com. February 13, 1756.

Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean Hell.

John Adams
Religious, Mean, Would Be
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1856). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.254

Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.

John Adams
Conversation, Persons, Subjects
John Adams (1850). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.306

Property must be secured, or liberty cannot exist.

John Adams
Liberty, Patriot, Property
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1851). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.280

As much as I converse with sages and heroes, they have very little of my love and admiration. I long for rural and domestic scene, for the warbling of birds and the prattling of my children.

John Adams
Love, Children, Hero
John Adams, Margaret A. Hogan (2007). “My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams”, p.165, Harvard University Press

I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading.

John Adams
Education, Wisdom, Reading
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1850). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.131

It will be celebrated... with pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.

John Adams
4th Of July, Illumination, Parades

The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts in other countries ought to admonish us to prevent their growth in our own.

John Adams
Country, Government, Growth
John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1854). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.126

Slavery is a foul contagion in the human character.

John Adams
Character, Slavery, Foul
John Adams' Letter to Joseph Ward, founders.archives.gov. January 8, 1810.

Have you considered that system of holy lies and pious frauds that has raged and triumphed for 1,500 years?

John Adams
Lying, Years, Founding Fathers Religion

I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.

John Adams
Wise, Honesty, Blessing
John Adams (1841). “Letters of John Adams: Addressed to His Wife”, p.267

Banks have done more injury to the religion, morality, tranquility, prosperity, and even wealth of the nation than they can have done or ever will do good.

John Adams
Banking, Done, Morality
John Adams (1856). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.375

A taste for literature and a turn for business, united in the same person, never fails to make a great man.

John Adams
Men, Literature, Taste

I shall have the liberty to think for myself.

John Adams
Thinking, Liberty
"John Adams". Book by David McCullough, www.nytimes.com. May 22, 2001.

To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, counties or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.

John Adams
Men, Self, Hands
"A Defence of the Constitutions of Government". Book by John Adams. Chapter 3: "Marchamont Nedham: Errors of Government and Rules of Policy", Sixth Rule, 1787.

Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. What a Utopia! What a paradise this region would be.

John Adams
Religious, Book, Law
John Adams (2004). “The Portable John Adams”, p.3, Penguin