"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time."
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Thomas Jefferson quotes (page 4 of 91)
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"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others."
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"The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."
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"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
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"Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence."
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"Never spend your money before you have earned it."
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"Nothing is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights of man."
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"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion."
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"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers."
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"The man who would choose security over freedom deserves neither."
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"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."
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"It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it."
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"A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny."
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"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."
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"I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office."
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"Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government. Nature, habit, opinion has drawn indelible lines of distinction between them."
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"He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me."
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"The country is headed toward a single and splendid government of an aristocracy founded on banking institutions and moneyed incorporations and if this tendency continues it will be the end of freedom and democracy, the few will be ruling...I hope we shall...crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government to trial and bid defiance to the laws of our country. I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies."
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"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."
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"Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both."
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