Thomas Jefferson Quotes About Giving

• It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Life, Happiness, Work

  Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.100, Rowman & Littlefield

• Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Motivational, Running, Spiritual

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.103, Modern Library

• It is not the policy of the government in America to give aid to works of any kind. They let things take their natural course without help or impediment, which is generally the best policy.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, America, Giving

  Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson memorial association of the United States (1907). “The writings of Thomas Jefferson”

• I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage, with my books, my family, and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post which any human power can give.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Family, Book, Food

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.64, Algora Publishing

• I suppose, indeed, that in public life, a man whose political principles have any decided character and who has energy enough to give them effect must always expect to encounter political hostility from those of adverse principles.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Character, Men, Giving

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.109

• The most effectual means of preventing the perversion of power into tyranny are to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts which history exhibits, that possessed thereby of the experience of other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Ambition, Mean

  Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

• A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Being Strong, Nature, Character

  Quoted in Colin Jarman The Guinness Dictionary of Sports Quotations (1990).

• The construction applied . . . to those parts of the Constitution of the United States which delegate Congress a power . . . ought not to be construed as themselves to give unlimited powers, nor a part to be so taken as to destroy the whole residue of that instrument.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Taken, Giving, United States

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Miscellaneous: 4. Parliamentary manual; 5. The anas; 6. Miscellaneous papers”, p.468

• The superiority of chocolate (hot chocolate), both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Coffee, America, Giving

• To all of which is added a selection from the elementary schools of subjects of the most promising genius, whose parents are too poor to give them further education, to be carried at the public expense through the college and university. The object is to bring into action that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty in every country, for want of the means of development, and thus give activity to a mass of mind, which, in proportion to our population, shall be double or treble of what it is in most countries.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Education, Country, Lying

  Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

• [T]he opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional and what not, not only for themselves, in their, own sphere of action, but for the Legislature and Executive also in their spheres, would make the Judiciary a despotic branch.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Law, Judging

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

• I have been happy . . . in believing that . . . whatever follies we may be led into as to foreign nations, we shall never give up our Union, the last anchor of our hope, and that alone which is to prevent this heavenly country from becoming an arena of gladiators.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Giving Up, Believe

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”, p.359

• It should be our endeavor to cultivate the peace and friendship of every nation . . . . Our interest will be to throw open the doors of commerce, and to knock off all its shackles, giving perfect freedom to all persons for the vent to whatever they may choose to bring into our ports, and asking the same in theirs.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Doors, Giving, Perfect

  Thomas Jefferson (1801). “Notes on the State of Virginia”, p.257

• And say, finally, whether peace is best preserved by giving energy to the government or information to the people. This last is the most legitimate engine of government. Educate and inform the whole mass of people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to convince them of this. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Order, People

  Thomas Jefferson, John Dewey (2008). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.45, Courier Corporation

• I never before knew the full value of trees....What would I not give that the trees planted nearest round the house at Monticello were full grown.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Giving, House, Tree

• It is a principle that the right to a thing gives a right to the means without which it could not be used, that is to say, that the means follow their end.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Mean, Giving, Principles

  Thomas Jefferson (1861). “Correspondence. Reports and opinions while secretarry of state”, p.579

• But the Chief Justice says, 'There must be an ultimate arbiter somewhere.' True, there must; but does that prove it is either party? The ultimate arbiter is the people of the Union, assembled by their deputies in convention, at the call of Congress or of two-thirds of the States. Let them decide to which they mean to give an authority claimed by two of their organs. And it has been the peculiar wisdom and felicity of our Constitution, to have provided this peaceable appeal, where that of other nations is at once to force.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Party, Mean, Two

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.298

• The declaration that religious faith shall be unpunished does not give immunity to criminal acts dictated by religious error.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Errors, Giving

• Let those flatter, who fear: it is not an American art. To give praise where it is not due, might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Rights, Giving

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.118

• Give up money, give up fame, give up science, give the earth itself and all it contains, rather than do an immoral act.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Giving Up, Earth, Morality

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.297, Penguin

• Female education ... has occupied my attention so far only as the education of my own daughters ... I thought it essential to give them a solid education which might enable them, when become mothers, to educate their own daughters, and even to direct the course for sons, should their fathers be.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Daughter, Mother, Educational

  Thomas Jefferson, Jean M. Yarbrough (1963). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.247, Hackett Publishing

• Take more pleasure in giving what is best to another than in having it for yourself, and then all the world will love you.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Father, Love You, Giving

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.91, Modern Library

• Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Failure, Government, Giving

  Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson (1988). “Paine and Jefferson on Liberty”, p.22, Bloomsbury Publishing USA

• The example of changing a constitution by assembling the wise men of the state, instead of assembling armies, will be worth as much to the world as the former examples we had give them. The constitution, too, which was the result of our deliberation, is unquestionably the wisest ever yet presented to men.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wise, Army, Men

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.83, Algora Publishing

• Reason and free inquiry are the only effective agents against error. Give a loose to them, they will support the true religion by bringing every false one to their tribunal, to the test of their investigation. They are the natural enemies of error and error only. Had not the Roman government permitted free inquiry, Christianity could never have been introduced. Had not free inquiry been indulged at the era of the Reformation, the corruption of Christianity could not have been purged away.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Errors, Government, Giving

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