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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 33

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A government regulating itself by what is wise and just for the many, uninfluenced by the local and selfish views of the few who direct their affairs, has not been seen, perhaps, on earth. Or if it existed for a moment

A government regulating itself by what is wise and just for the many, uninfluenced by the local and selfish views of the few who direct their affairs, has not been seen, perhaps, on earth. Or if it existed for a moment at the birth of ours, it would not be easy to fix the term of its continuance. Still, I believe it does exist here in a greater degree than anywhere else; and for its growth and continuance... I offer sincere prayers.

Thomas Jefferson
Wise, Prayer, Selfish
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, 4: Correspondence and Private Papers”, p.293

I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.

Thomas Jefferson
Atmosphere, Storm, Littles
Thomas Jefferson (1984). “Jefferson: Writings”, p.1135, Library of America

I never saw an instance of one or two disputants convincing the other by argument.

Thomas Jefferson
Two, Saws, Argument
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.407, Penguin

What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.... [Instead] reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free enquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves?

Thomas Jefferson
Hypocrite, Errors, Support
"Notes on the State of Virginia". Book by Thomas Jefferson, 1781-1783.

If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?

Thomas Jefferson
Truth, Freedom, Ignorance

the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Law, Majority Rule
First Inaugural Address, 4 Mar. 1801

The Greeks by their laws, and the Romans by the spirit of their people, took care to put into the hands of their rulers no such engine of oppression as a standing army. Their system was to make every man a soldier, and oblige him to repair to the standard of his country whenever that was reared. This made them invincible; and the same remedy will make us so.

Thomas Jefferson
Death, Country, Military
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.139, Cambridge University Press

I long to be in the midst of the children, and have more pleasure in their little follies than in the wisdom of the wise.

Thomas Jefferson
Wise, Wisdom, Children
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.57, Modern Library

Let those flatter, who fear: it is not an American art. To give praise where it is not due, might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.

Thomas Jefferson
Art, Rights, Giving
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.118

The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold of us.

Thomas Jefferson
Corruption, Tyranny
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

I would rather have newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Newspapers

It is proof of sincerity, which I value above all things; as, between those who practice it, falsehood and malice work their efforts in vain.

Thomas Jefferson
Practice, Effort, Sincerity
Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution”, p.195, Algora Publishing

Debt and revolution are inseparable as cause and effect.

Thomas Jefferson
Debt, Revolution, Causes
Thomas Jefferson (1941). “The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson: Including the Jefferson Bible, "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth,"”

It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and as they would be the sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please . . . . Certainly no such universal power was meant to be given them. It [the Constitution] was intended to lace them up straightly within the enumerated powers and those without which, as means, these powers could not be carried into effect.

Thomas Jefferson
Mean, Evil, Judging

In a government bottomed on the will of all, the... liberty of every individual citizen becomes interesting to all.

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, 4th Of July, Government
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1803-1807”, p.192, Cosimo, Inc.

One insult pocketed soon produces another.

Thomas Jefferson
War, Political, Insult
Thomas Jefferson (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.510

The earth belongs to the living. No man can, by natural right, oblige the lands he occupied or the persons who succeed him in that occupation, to the payment of debts contracted by him. For if he could, he might, during his own life, eat up the use of the lands for several generations to come, and then the lands would belong to the dead, and not to the living. No generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Land, Generations

There is no habit you will value so much as that of walking far without fatigue.

Thomas Jefferson
Habit, Daily Exercise, Fatigue
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.298, Penguin

The proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he has a natural right.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Office, Atheism
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

The selfish spirit of commerce, which knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Business, Selfish
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, contin”, p.441

music, drawing, books, invention & exercise will be so many resources to you against ennui.

Thomas Jefferson
Educational, Book, Exercise
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1786-1787”, p.266, Cosimo, Inc.

I like to see the people awake and alert.

Thomas Jefferson
People, Awareness, Awake
Thomas Jefferson, Lyman Henry Butterfield, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti (1954). “22 June to 31 December, 1786”

The principles on which we engaged, of which the charter of our independence is the record, were sanctioned by the laws of our being, and we but obeyed them in pursuing undeviatingly the course they called for. It issued finally in that inestimable state of freedom which alone can ensure to man the enjoyment of his equal rights.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Rights, Law
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

Lay down true principles and adhere to them inflexibly. Do not be frightened into their surrender by the alarms of the timid, or the croakings of wealth against the ascendency of the people.

Thomas Jefferson
People, Alarms, Principles
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.439, Penguin

Eternal Vigilance is the price of democracy.

Thomas Jefferson
Democracy, Vigilance, Eternal