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Thomas Jefferson Quotes about Liberty

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When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.

When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, People, Liberty

A private central bank issuing the public currency is a greater menace to the liberties of the people than a standing army. We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.

Thomas Jefferson
Army, People, Liberty

The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty.

Thomas Jefferson
4th Of July, Liberty, Cornerstones

Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.

Thomas Jefferson
Freedom, Media, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.71, Rowman & Littlefield

Trade liberty for safety or money and you'll end up with neither. Liberty, like a grain of salt, easily dissolves. The power of questioning - not simply believing - has no friends. Yet liberty depends on it.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Safety, Liberty

I have the consolation of having added nothing to my private fortune during my public service, and of retiring with hands clean as they are empty.

Thomas Jefferson
Hands, Liberty, Empty
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.69

Whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Liberty, Void
Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.228, Penguin

The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us.

Thomas Jefferson
America, Liberty, World
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.45, Modern Library

Dependence leads to subservience.

Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Libertarian, Dependence

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

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

I tolerate with the utmost latitude the right of others to differ from me in opinion without imputing to them criminality.

Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Opinion, Latitude
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”

An elective despotism was not the government we fought for, but one which should not only be founded on true free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among general bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Liberty, Principles
"Notes on the State of Virginia". Book by Thomas Jefferson, Query XIII, 1781.

"It astonishes me to find... [that so many] of our countrymen... should be contented to live under a system which leaves to their governors the power of taking from them the trial by jury in civil cases, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of commerce, the habeas corpus laws, and of yoking them with a standing army. This is a degeneracy in the principles of liberty... which I [would not have expected for at least] four centuries."

Thomas Jefferson
Army, Law, Liberty

An elective despotism was not the government we fought for.

Thomas Jefferson
4th Of July, Government, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits.

Thomas Jefferson
4th Of July, Government, Liberty

To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.

Thomas Jefferson
Government Debt, Independence, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson, Jean M. Yarbrough (1963). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.242, Hackett Publishing

It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Mind Your Own Business, Liberty
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.126, Cambridge University Press

I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of servitude

Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Quiet, Capitalism

If ever there was a holy war, it was that which saved our liberties and gave us independence.

Thomas Jefferson
War, Independence, Liberty
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.45, Modern Library

The liberty of speaking and writing guards our other liberties.

Thomas Jefferson
Communication, Writing, Liberty

All authority belongs to the people... In questions of power let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief with chains of the Constitution.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, People, Liberty

The God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?

Thomas Jefferson
Justice Of God, Liberty, Conviction
Thomas Jefferson (1998). “Thomas Jefferson: His Words and Vision”, p.17, Peter Pauper Press, Inc.

The ground of liberty is to be gained by inches, and we must be contented to secure what we can get from time to time and eternally press forward for what is yet to get. It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Liberty, Libertarian
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.126, Cambridge University Press