Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 8

• Born in the same land, we ought to live as brothers, doing to each other all the good we can, and not listening to wicked men, who may endeavor to make us enemies. By living in peace, we can help and prosper one another; by waging war, we can kill and destroy many on both sides; but those who survive will not be the happier for that.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Peace, Brother, War

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

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• What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Freedom, Gun

  Letter to William Stephens Smith, 13 Nov. 1787

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• It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Truth, Freedom

  Notes on the State of Virginia, query 17 (1781 - 1785)

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• The only security of all is in a free press.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Freedom Of The Press, Free Press, Security

  Letter to Marquis de Lafayette, 4 Nov. 1823

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• 1.Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day. 2.Never trouble another for what you can do yourself. 3.Never spend your money before you have it. 4.Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you. 5.Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold. 6.We never repent of having eaten too little. 7.Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly. 8.How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened. 9.Take things always by their smooth handle. 10.When angry, count ten, before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Pain, Pride, Evil

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.402

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• Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

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• Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Inspirational, Friendship, Peace

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

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• Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Party, Men, Office

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”, p.325

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• The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Southern, Foundation

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.440, Penguin

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• Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Life, Character, World

  "The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private".

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• For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Truth, May, Not Afraid

  Letter to William Roscoe, 27 Dec. 1820

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• I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Believe, Army, Names

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.277

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• Every people may establish what form of government they please, and change it as they please, the will of the nation being the only thing essential.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, People, Essentials

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.487

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• Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Motivational, Truth, Freedom

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1859). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence”, p.37

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• The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Freedom, 4th Of July, Thinking

  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.379

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• Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Reading, Mean, Men

  Letter to Edward Carrington, 16 Jan. 1787

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• Without virtue, happiness cannot be.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Liberty, Virtue

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.6, Modern Library

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• When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself, he has a right to his opinion, as I to mine. Why should I question it? His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixote, to bring all men by force of argument to one opinion? ...Be a listener only, keep within yourself, and endeavor to establish with yourself the habit of silence, especially in politics.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Errors, Silence

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• The great object of my fear is the federal judiciary. That body, like gravity, ever acting, with noiseless foot, and unalarming advance, gaining ground step by step, and holding what it gains, is ingulfing insidiously the special governments into the jaws of that which feeds them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Feet, Special

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

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• The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Advertising, Saving Money

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• 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

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• No government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as duty. Good men will obey the last, but bad ones the former only. If our government ever fails, it will be from this weakness.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Good Man, Weakness

  Thomas Jefferson (2011). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, Volume 7: 28 November 1813 to 30 September 1814”, p.648, Princeton University Press

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• The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Honesty, Government

  Thomas Jefferson (1853). “The writings of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography, correspondence, reports, messages, addresses, and other writings, official and private”, p.141

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• Every generation needs a new revolution.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Change, Famous Inspirational, Needs

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• The liberty of speaking and writing guards our other liberties.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Communication, Writing, Liberty

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