Famous Quotes by Thomas Jefferson
- "I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another." —Thomas Jefferson on Advice
- "My only fear is that I may live too long. This would be a subject of dread to me." —Thomas Jefferson on Age
- "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . . ." —Thomas Jefferson on America
- "The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it, and the glow from that fire can truly light the world." —Thomas Jefferson on America
- "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do." —Thomas Jefferson on Brevity
- "Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains." —Thomas Jefferson on Business
- "I am mortified to be told that, in the United States of America, the sale of a book can become a subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too." —Thomas Jefferson on Censorship
- "I find the pain of a little censure, even when it is unfounded, is more acute than the pleasure of much praise." —Thomas Jefferson on Censure
- "I find that the pain of a little censure, even when it is unfounded, is more acute than the pleasure of much praise." —Thomas Jefferson on Censure
- "In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." —Thomas Jefferson on Constitution
- "The constitution, on this hypothesis, is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the Judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please." —Thomas Jefferson on Constitution
- "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." —Thomas Jefferson on Country
- "A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit." —Thomas Jefferson on Cowardice
- "And to preserve their 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 on Debt
- "Never spend your money before you have it." —Thomas Jefferson on Debt
- "We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independant, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness." —Thomas Jefferson on Independence
- "Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail." —Thomas Jefferson on Duty
- "The earth is given as a common for men to labor and live in." —Thomas Jefferson on Earth
- "I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers ... We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the." —Thomas Jefferson on Economy
- "Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day." —Thomas Jefferson on Education
- "Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there is one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded faith." —Thomas Jefferson on Faith
- "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." —Thomas Jefferson on Freedom of the Press
- "Friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life." —Thomas Jefferson on Friendship
- "But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine." —Thomas Jefferson on Friendship
- "I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labour of the industrious." —Thomas Jefferson on Government
- "That government is best which governs least, because its people discipline themselves." —Thomas Jefferson on Government
- "It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself." —Thomas Jefferson on Government
- "It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law than that he should escape." —Thomas Jefferson on Guilt
- "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." —Thomas Jefferson on History
- "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . . ." —Thomas Jefferson on Independence
- "I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another." —Thomas Jefferson on Inspirational
- "I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another." —Thomas Jefferson on Inspirational
- "I consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution." —Thomas Jefferson on Jury
- "It is the trade of lawyers to question everything, yield nothing, and to talk by the hour." —Thomas Jefferson on Law
- "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "It behoves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it's natural manure." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time." —Thomas Jefferson on Liberty
- "It is my principle that the will of the majority should always prevail." —Thomas Jefferson on Majority
- "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." —Thomas Jefferson on Newspapers
- "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." —Thomas Jefferson on Obedience
- "It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquillity and occupation which give happiness." —Thomas Jefferson on Occupation
- "Monuments of the safety with which errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." —Thomas Jefferson on Opinion
- "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations — entangling alliances with none." —Thomas Jefferson on Peace
- "Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it." —Thomas Jefferson on Peace
- "Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it." —Thomas Jefferson on Peace
- "Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it." —Thomas Jefferson on Peace
- "Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct." —Thomas Jefferson on Politics Government
- "No man will ever bring out of the Presidency the reputation which carries him into it." —Thomas Jefferson on President
- "When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property." —Thomas Jefferson on Public Trust
- "Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to admit it." —Thomas Jefferson on Reason
- "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing." —Thomas Jefferson on Rebellion
- "A little rebellion now and then ... is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." —Thomas Jefferson on Rebellion
- "The hole and the patch should be commensurate." —Thomas Jefferson on Reform
- "Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." —Thomas Jefferson on Resignation
- "Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us." —Thomas Jefferson on Ridicule
- "We hold these truths to be self-evident,--that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." —Thomas Jefferson on Rights
- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." —Thomas Jefferson on Rights
- "Peace. commerce, and honest friendship with all nations--entangling alliances with none." —Thomas Jefferson on Statesmanship
- "Taste cannot be controlled by law." —Thomas Jefferson on Taste
- "Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty." —Thomas Jefferson on Timidity
- "The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies." —Thomas Jefferson on Truth
- "Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." —Thomas Jefferson on Tyranny
- "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." —Thomas Jefferson on Tyranny
- "Victory and defeat are each of the same price." —Thomas Jefferson on Victory
- "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." —Thomas Jefferson on Vigilance
- "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." —Thomas Jefferson on Wisdom
