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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 59

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Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law.

Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law.

Thomas Jefferson
Independent, Law, People
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.317

With nations as with individuals our interests soundly calculated will ever be found inseparable from our moral duties.

Thomas Jefferson
Politics, Morality, Individual
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

The moral sense is as much a part of our constitution as that of feeling, seeing, or hearing.

Thomas Jefferson
Feelings, Religion, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.296, Cambridge University Press

I join cordially in admiring and revering the Constitution of the United States, the result of the collected wisdom of our country. That wisdom has committed to us the important task of proving by example that a government, if organized in all its parts on the Representative principle unadulterated by the infusion of spurious elements, if founded, not in the fears & follies of man, but on his reason, on his sense of right, on the predominance of the social over his dissocial passions, may be so free as to restrain him in no moral right, and so firm as to protect him from every moral wrong.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Passion, Men

We established however some, although not all its [self-government] important principles . The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, (as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by a jury of themselves, in all judiciary cases in which any fact is involved,) or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

Thomas Jefferson
Exercise, Thinking, Government
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.384, Cambridge University Press

It is a wise rule and should be fundamental in a government disposed to cherish its credit, and at the same time to restrain the use of it within the limits of its faculties, "never to borrow a dollar without laying a tax in the same instant for paying the interest annually, and the principal within a given term; and to consider that tax as pledged to the creditors on the public faith."

Thomas Jefferson
Wise, Government, Dollars
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.200

It is a happy circumstance in human affairs that evils which are not cured in one way will cure themselves in some other.

Thomas Jefferson
Evil, Advice, Way
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.17, Modern Library

From the nature of things, every society must at all times possess within itself the sovereign powers of legislation.

Thomas Jefferson
Sovereign, Legislation, All Time
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.42, Penguin

The mass of the citizens is the safest depositary of their own rights.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Citizens, Mass

Democrats consider the people as the safest depository of power in the last resort; they cherish them, therefore, and wish to leave in them all the powers to the exercise of which they are competent.

Thomas Jefferson
Exercise, People, Wish
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.391

The people, especially when moderately instructed, are the only safe, because the only honest, depositaries of the public rights, and should therefore be introduced into the administration of them in every function to which they are sufficient; they will err sometimes and accidentally, but never designedly, and with a systematic and persevering purpose of overthrowing the free principles of the government.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Government, People
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.319

No other depositories of power [but the people themselves] have ever yet been found, which did not end in converting to their own profit the earnings of those committed to their charge.

Thomas Jefferson
People, Earning, Ends
Thomas Jefferson, Martin Alfred Larson (1981). “Jefferson, magnificent populist”, Devin-Adair Pub

It is a [disputed] question, whether the circulation of paper, rather than of specie [gold and silver coin], is a good or an evil I believe it to be one of those cases where mercantile clamor will bear down reason, until it is corrected by ruin.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Evil, Gold

The law of self-preservation is higher than written law.

Thomas Jefferson
Self, Law, Preservation

I had rather ask an enlargement of power from the nation, where it is found necessary, than to assume it by a construction which would make our powers boundless.

Thomas Jefferson
Enlargement, Notable, Constitution
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.3

Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself.

Thomas Jefferson
Truth Is, Church And State, Left
"A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom" (1779)

Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine; nor is it given to us in this life to know whether yours or mine, our friend's or our foe's, are exactly the right.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Accountability, Religion
Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence”, p.388

The most fortunate of us, in our journey through life, frequently meet with calamities and misfortunes which may greatly afflict us; and, to fortify our minds against the attacks of these calamities and misfortunes, should be one of the principal studies and endeavors of our lives.

Thomas Jefferson
Philosophy, Inspiration, Journey
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1858). “The life and letters of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography and select correspondence, from original manuscripts”, p.187

The hole and the patch should be commensurate.

Thomas Jefferson
Inspirational, Design, Holes
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”

Great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities.

Thomas Jefferson
Presidential, Innovation, Majority
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1808-1816”, p.31, Cosimo, Inc.

The purpose of establishing different houses of legislation is to introduce the influence of different interests or different principles.

Thomas Jefferson
House, Political, Principles
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. . . . We might as well require a man to wear the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain forever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.

Thomas Jefferson
Boys, Men, Hands
Letter to Samuel Kercheval, 12 July 1816

It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticisms that three are one, and one is three; and yet that the one is not three, and the three are not one.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Believe, Men
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.209

Should [reformers] attempt more than the established habits of the people are ripe for, they may lose all and retard indefinitely the ultimate object of their aim.

Thomas Jefferson
People, May, Revolution

No man will ever bring out of the Presidency the reputation which carries him into it. To myself, personally, it brings nothing but increasing drudgery and daily loss of friends.

Thomas Jefferson
Friendship, Loss, Men