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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 5

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By oft repeating an untruth, men come to believe it themselves.

By oft repeating an untruth, men come to believe it themselves.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Men, Politics
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence”, p.97

If it is believed that these elementary schools will be better managed by the governor and council or any other general authority of the government, than by the parents within each ward, it is a belief against all experience.

Thomas Jefferson
School, Government, Parent
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.543

The contest is not between us and them, but between good and evil, and if those who would fight evil adopt the ways of evil, evil wins.

Thomas Jefferson
Fighting, Winning, Evil

Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Ignorance, Racism
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.53, Cambridge University Press

Time indeed changes manners and notions, and so far we must expect institutions to bend to them. But time produces also corruption of principles, and against this it is the duty of good citizens to be ever on the watch, and if the gangrene is to prevail at last, let the day be kept off as long as possible.

Thomas Jefferson
Long, Principles, Watches
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1816-1826”, p.201, Cosimo, Inc.

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, War, Patriotic
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1786-1787”, p.263, Cosimo, Inc.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

Thomas Jefferson
God, Country, War
Notes on the State of Virginia, query 18 (1781 - 1785)

Our legislators are not sufficiently apprized of the rightful limits of their power; that their true office is to declare and enforce only our natural rights and duties, and to take none of them from us.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Office, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.3

The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves...these clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ.

Thomas Jefferson
Jesus, Real, Teaching

[T]he States can best govern our home concerns and the general government our foreign ones. I wish, therefore . . . never to see all offices transferred to Washington, where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold at market.

Thomas Jefferson
Eye, Home, Government

Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.

Thomas Jefferson
Peace, War, House
Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution”, p.257, Algora Publishing

I hold the precepts of Jesus as delivered by Himself, to be the most pure, benevolent and sublime which have ever been preached to man.

Thomas Jefferson
Inspirational, Jesus, Men
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.185

The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance

Thomas Jefferson
Cost, Vigilance, Eternal

It is not only vain, but wicked, in a legislator to frame laws in opposition to the laws of nature, and to arm them with the terrors of death. This is truly creating crimes in order to punish them.

Thomas Jefferson
Thinking, Order, Law
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Late President of the United States”, p.132

No person shall be restrained of his liberty but by regular process from a court of justice, authorized by a general law. . . . On complaint of an unlawful imprisonment to any judge whatsoever, he shall have the prisoner immediately brought before him and shall discharge him if his imprisonment be unlawful. The officer in whose custody the prisoner is shall obey the order of the judge, and both judge and officer shall be responsible civilly and criminally for a failure of duty herein.

Thomas Jefferson
Law, Order, Justice

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.

Thomas Jefferson
Leadership, Honesty, Exercise
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.185

The advertisement is the most truthful part of a newspaper.

Thomas Jefferson
Motivational, Truth, Humorous

Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.

Thomas Jefferson
People, Authority, Responsible
Thomas Jefferson, H. A. Washington (2011). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private”, p.32, Cambridge University Press

Had the doctrines of Jesus been preached always as pure as they came from his lips, the whole civilized world would now have been Christians.

Thomas Jefferson
Faith, Christian, Jesus
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.349

There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Equal Treatment, People

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.

Thomas Jefferson
Religion, Atheism, Libertarian
Thomas Jefferson (1939). “Democracy”

I could think of no worse example for nations abroad, who for the first time were trying to put free electoral procedures into effect, than that of the United States wrangling over the results of our presidential election, and even suggesting that the presidency itself could be stolen by thievery at the ballot box.

Thomas Jefferson
Thinking, America, Presidential

Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.

Thomas Jefferson
Presidential, Liberty, Libertarian

Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of the day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers (adminstrators) too plainly proves a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing us to slavery.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Liberty, Slavery

The constitutional freedom of religion is the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, Rights, Political
Thomas Jefferson (1984). “Jefferson: Writings”, p.593, Library of America