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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 30

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Difficulties indeed sometimes arise; but common sense and honest intentions will generally steer through them.

Difficulties indeed sometimes arise; but common sense and honest intentions will generally steer through them.

Thomas Jefferson
Common Sense, Honest, Sometimes
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1859). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence. Reports and opinions while secretary of state”, p.64

A government is republican in proportion as every member composing it has his equal voice in the direction of its concerns, not indeed in person, which would be impracticable beyond the limits of a city or small township, but by representatives chosen by himself and responsible to him at short periods.

Thomas Jefferson
Equality, Cities, Voice
Thomas Jefferson (2006). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.240, Hackett Publishing

How did Jefferson feel about the people of his day who were the equivalent of our modern day penecostals? You know, those revelation reveling tongue speaking idiots.

Thomas Jefferson
People, Tongue, Idiot

To all of which is added a selection from the elementary schools of subjects of the most promising genius, whose parents are too poor to give them further education, to be carried at the public expense through the college and university. The object is to bring into action that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty in every country, for want of the means of development, and thus give activity to a mass of mind, which, in proportion to our population, shall be double or treble of what it is in most countries.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Country, Lying
Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

Wake up, dream, have the ambition to do the things you have always dreamed of, go farther than any man has ever been before, go as far as it is possible for any man to go, what have you got to lose? Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

Thomas Jefferson
Dream, Attitude, Ambition

The objects of this primary education . . . would be . . . to form the statesmen, legislators and judges, on whom public prosperity and individual happiness are so much to depend.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Individual Happiness, Judging
Thomas Jefferson (1990). “Public and private papers”, Vintage Books

Every one must act according to the dictates of his own reason, and mine tells me that civil powers alone have been given to the President of the United States, and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Exercise, Religion
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, 4: Correspondence and Private Papers”, p.107

Should look forward to a time, and that not a distant one, when corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government, and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people, and make them pay the price.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Pay The Price, Government
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786”, p.21, Cosimo, Inc.

A Man's management of his own purse speaks volumes about character

Thomas Jefferson
Character, Men, Purses

The trifling economy of paper, as a cheaper medium, or its convenience for transmission, weighs nothing in opposition to the advantages of the precious metals it is liable to be abused, has been, is, and forever will be abused, in every country in which it is permitted.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Forever, Paper
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1808-1816”, p.331, Cosimo, Inc.

In a republican nation whose citizens are to be led by reason and persuasion and not by force, the art of reasoning becomes of first importance.

Thomas Jefferson
Art, Liberty, Citizens
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.299, Rowman & Littlefield

[O]ur rules can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Religion, Natural

With those who wish to think amiss of me, I have learnt to be perfectly indifferent: but where I know a mind to be ingenuous, andto need only truth to set it to rights, I cannot be as passive.

Thomas Jefferson
Truth, Thinking, Rights
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.423, Cambridge University Press

In a virtuous and free state, no rewards can be so pleasing to sensible minds, as those which include the approbation of our fellow citizens. My great pain is, lest my poor endeavours should fall short of the kind expectations of my country.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Pain, Fall
Thomas Jefferson, Newsweek, inc. Book Division (1974). “Thomas Jefferson: a biography in his own words”, HarperCollins Publishers

Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error.

Thomas Jefferson
Errors, Enquiry, Inquiry
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

Anarchy [is] necessarily consequent to inefficiency.

Thomas Jefferson
Politics, Anarchy, Inefficiency

I discharge every person under punishment or prosecution under the Sedition Law, because I considered, and now consider, that law to be a nullity as absolute and palpable as if Congress had ordered us to fall down and worship a golden image.

Thomas Jefferson
Fall, Law, Punishment
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.24

I deem it the duty of every man to devote a certain portion of his income for charitable purposes; and that it is his further duty to see it so applied and to do the most good for which it is capable.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Income, Purpose
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.91, Modern Library

Nothing betrays imbecility so much as the being insensible of it.

Thomas Jefferson
Betray, Imbecility, Insensible
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.4

I am convinced that those societies (such as the Native American peoples) which live without government enjoy in their general mass an infinitely greater degree of happiness than those who live under the European governments. Among the former, public opinion is in the place of law, & restrains morals as powerfully as laws ever did anywhere. Among the latter, under pretence of governing they have divided their nations into two classes, wolves & sheep. I do not exaggerate.

Thomas Jefferson
Native American, Sheep, Government

Light and liberty go together.

Thomas Jefferson
Light, Liberty, Together
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.119, Modern Library

My principle is to do whatever is right, and leave consequences to him who has the disposal of them.

Thomas Jefferson
Principles, Consequence
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.217

Religions are all the same...Based upon legends and fantasies

Thomas Jefferson
Legends, Fantasy

I am sorry they began their deliberations by so abominable a precedent as that of tying up the tongues of their members. Nothing can justify this example but the innocence of their intentions and ignorance of the value of public discussions. I have no doubt that all their other measures will be good and wise. It is really an assembly of demigods.

Thomas Jefferson
Wise, Sorry, Ignorance
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, 2: Correspondence and Private Papers”, p.228

The Creator has not thought proper to mark those in the forehead who are of stuff to make good generals. We are first, therefore, to seek them blindfold, and then let them learn the trade at the expense of great losses.

Thomas Jefferson
Loss, Stuff, Firsts
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.100