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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 3

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The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.

The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.

Thomas Jefferson
Democracy, Foundation, Educated

The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

Thomas Jefferson
Gun, Strong Arms, People
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.458, Penguin

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.

Thomas Jefferson
Gun, Law, Strong Arms

A little rebellion now and then... is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.

Thomas Jefferson
Wisdom, Government, Medicine
Letter to James Madison, 30 Jan. 1787

If the children are untaught, their ignorance and vices will in future life cost us much dearer in their consequences than it would have done in their correction by a good education.

Thomas Jefferson
Life, Education, Children
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1816-1826”, p.84, Cosimo, Inc.

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

Thomas Jefferson
Inspirational, Success, Determination

Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

Thomas Jefferson
Gun, Second Amendment, Mind Games
"Jefferson: The face of the modern gun debate" by Christina Zdanowicz, www.cnn.com. July 19, 2013.

The country is headed toward a single and splendid government of an aristocracy founded on banking institutions and moneyed incorporations and if this tendency continues it will be the end of freedom and democracy, the few will be ruling...I hope we shall...crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government to trial and bid defiance to the laws of our country. I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.

Thomas Jefferson
Crush, Country, Believe

Difference of opinion leads to inquiry, and inquiry to the truth.

Thomas Jefferson
Differences, Inquiry, Opinion

It is the old practice of despots to use a part of the people to keep the rest in order.

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, Order, Practice
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1859). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence”, p.246

The spirit of 1776 is not dead. It has only been slumbering. The body of the American people is substantially republican. But their virtuous feelings have been played on by some fact with more fiction; they have been the dupes of artful maneuvers, and made for a moment to be willing instruments in forging chains for themselves. But times and truth dissipated the delusion, and opened their eyes.

Thomas Jefferson
Eye, People, Voting
Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

Thomas Jefferson
Inspirational, Positive, Wisdom
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.112

Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, Media, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.71, Rowman & Littlefield

Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Wall, Rights

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.

Thomas Jefferson
Money, Believe, Army

If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.

Thomas Jefferson
Ignorance, Responsibility, Ifs

I place economy among the first and most important virtues and public debt as the greatest dangers to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Practice, People
"What works: Common sense solutions for a stronger America" by Cal Thomas, www.foxnews.com. April 8, 2014.

He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions.

Thomas Jefferson
Lying, Believe, Heart
Thomas Jefferson, John Dewey (2008). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.81, Courier Corporation

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Wisdom, People
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms.

Thomas Jefferson
Second Amendment, Use, Arms
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.180, Cosimo, Inc.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Thomas Jefferson
Life, Change, Happiness
Declaration of Independence (1776).

He who knows best knows how little he knows.

Thomas Jefferson
Work, Best Husband, Crafts

Trade liberty for safety or money and you'll end up with neither. Liberty, like a grain of salt, easily dissolves. The power of questioning - not simply believing - has no friends. Yet liberty depends on it.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Safety, Liberty

The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best, that the States are independent as to everything within themselves, and united as to everything respecting foreign affairs. Let the General Government be reduced to foreign concerns only, and let our affairs be disentangled from those of all other nations, except as to commerce, which the merchants will manage the better, the more they are left free to manage for themselves, and our General Government may be reduced to a very simple organization, and a very inexpensive one; a few plain duties to be performed by a few servants.

Thomas Jefferson
Independent, Simple, Government
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, contin”, p.331

It is more honorable to repair a wrong than to persist in it.

Thomas Jefferson
Parliament, Honorable, Persist
Thomas Jefferson (1984). “Jefferson: Writings”, p.700, Library of America