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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 61

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The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.

The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Foundation, Republic

The children of Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.

Thomas Jefferson
Children, Night, Fire
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.45, Cosimo, Inc.

A professorship of Theology should have no place in our institution [the University of Virginia]

Thomas Jefferson
Virginia, Should Have, Institutions

Reading, reflection and time have convinced me that the interests of society require the observation of those moral precepts only in which all religions agree (for all forbid us to steal, murder, plunder, or bear false witness), and that we should not intermeddle with the particular dogmas in which all religions differ, and which are totally unconnected with morality.

Thomas Jefferson
Reading, Reflection, Bears
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.281, Cambridge University Press

In matters of religion, I have considered that its free exercise is placed by the Constitution independent of the powers of the general government. I have therefore undertaken on no occasion to prescribe the religious exercises suited to it; but have left them as the Constitution found them, under the direction and discipline of State or Church authorities acknowledged by the several religious societies.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Independent, Exercise
Thomas Jefferson (2011). “Jefferson on Freedom: Wisdom, Advice, and Hints on Freedom, Democracy, and the American Way”, p.77, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

No man complains of his neighbor for ill management of his affairs, for an error in sowing his land, or marrying his daughter, for consuming his substance in taverns ... in all these he has liberty; but if he does not frequent the church, or then conform in ceremonies, there is an immediate uproar.

Thomas Jefferson
Daughter, Men, Land

If a sect arises whose tenets would subvert morals, good sense has fair play and reasons and laughs it out of doors without suffering the State to be troubled with it.

Thomas Jefferson
Doors, Play, Laughing
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

If anything pass in a religious meeting seditiously and contrary to the public peace, let it be punished in the same manner and no otherwise than as if it had happened in a fair or market.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Positive Atheism, Meetings
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.267, Cosimo, Inc.

The law for religious freedom... [has]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Law, Mind
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.426, Penguin

Let those flatter who fear; it is not an American art .

Thomas Jefferson
Art, Flattery
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”, p.118

France, freed from that monster, Bonaparte, must again become the most agreeable country on earth. It would be the second choice of all whose ties of family and fortune give a preference to some other one, and the first choice of all not under those ties.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Ties, Giving
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.402

The unsuccessful strugglers against tyranny have been the chief martyrs of treason laws in all countries.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Law, Unsuccessful
Instructions to his negotiators regarding a treaty with Spain, April 1792; cited in Knott, Secret and Sanctioned (1996).

If a due participation of office is a matter of right, how are vacancies to be obtained? Those by death are few; by resignation, none.

Thomas Jefferson
Office, Vacancy, Politics
Letter to Elias Shipman and others, 12 July 1801.

Say nothing of my religion. It is known to God and myself alone. Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life: if it has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one.

Thomas Jefferson
Religion, World, Honest
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.300

The fortune of our lives depends on employing well the short period of our youth.

Thomas Jefferson
Youth, Fortune, Periods

I am not fully informed of the practices at Harvard, but there is one from which we shall certainly vary, although it has been copied, I believe, by nearly every college and academy in the United States. That is, the holding the students all to one prescribed course of reading, and disallowing exclusive application to those branches only which are to qualify them for the particular vocations to which they are destined. We shall, on the contrary, allow them uncontrolled choice in the lectures they shall choose to attend, and require elementary qualification only, and sufficient age.

Thomas Jefferson
Education, Reading, Believe
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.294, Rowman & Littlefield

If any state in the Union will declare that it prefers separation... to a continuance in union... I have no hesitation in saying, 'let us separate.

Thomas Jefferson
Unions, Separation, States
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.284

Shake hands with Pain, give greeting unto Grief, Those angels in disguise, and thy glad soul From height to height, from star to shining star, Shall climb and claim blest immortality.

Thomas Jefferson
Stars, Pain, Grief

I am sure the man who powders most, perfumes most, embroiders most, and talks most nonsense, is most admired. Though to be candid, there are some who have too much good sense to esteem such monkey-like animals as these, in whose formation, as the saying is, the tailors and barbers go halves with God Almighty.

Thomas Jefferson
Animal, Men, Half
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1858). “The life and letters of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography and select correspondence, from original manuscripts”, p.183

There is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Yield, Connections
Thomas Jefferson (1853). “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.203

With all the imperfections of our present government, it is without comparison the best existing, or that ever did exist.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Imperfection, Comparison
B. L. Rayner, Thomas Jefferson (1834). “Life of Thomas Jefferson: with selections from the most valuable portions of his voluminious and unrivalled private correspondence : with portrait”, p.235

I do verily believe that a single, consolidated government would become the most corrupt government on the earth.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Government, Earth

The religion-builders have so distorted and deformed the doctrines of Jesus, so muffled them in mysticism, fancies, and falsehoods.

Thomas Jefferson
Jesus, Fancy, Doctrine
Thomas Jefferson, Allen Jayne (1984). “The religious and moral wisdom of Thomas Jefferson: an anthology”

Every experience deeply felt in life needs to be passed along. Wheather it be through words and music, chiseled in stone, painted with a brush, or sewn with a needle, it is a way of reaching for immortality.

Thomas Jefferson
Needs, Stones, Way

The opinions of men should not be the object of any government. Our civil rights are no more dependent on our religious beliefs than they are dependent upon our thoughts about geometry or physics!

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Men, Rights