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Category Archives: First Principles
First Principles: A Wise and Frugal Government Restrains Its Citizens From Harming One Another But Otherwise Leaves Them Free
“A wise and frugal government … shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has … Continue reading
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Tagged Bread, Earned, First Principles, Frugal, Government, Harm, Improvement, Industry, Mouth of Labor, Otherwise Free, Pursuits, Restrain, Thomas Jefferson, Wise
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First Principles: The Greatest Good For Our Nation Is To Heal Party Divisions and Act As One People
“The greatest good we can do our country is to heal its party divisions and make them one people.” – Thomas Jefferson (1801)
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Tagged First Principles, Thomas Jefferson, Country, Good, Heal, Great, One People, Party Divisions
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First Principles: Our Liberties Are A Gift From God
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to … Continue reading
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Tagged Conviction, Country, Firm Basis, First Principles, Gift of God, God, Just, Justice, Liberties, Liberty, Mind, Nation, Secure, Sleep, The People, Thomas Jefferson, Tremble, Violate, Wrath
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First Principles: Power Is the Essence of Government and Ever Liable To Abuse
“The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.” – James Madison (1829)
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Tagged Abuse, Esesence, First Principles, Government, Human Hands, James Madison, Liable, Power
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First Principles: Diffusion of Virtue and Knowledge Is Our Security From Ever Being Enslaved
“If Virtue & Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslav’d. This will be their great Security.” – Samuel Adams, letter to James Warren, February 12, 1779
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Tagged Diffuse, First Principles, Knowledge, Samuel Adams, Security, Slave, The People, Virtue
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First Principles: Guard Public Liberty Vigilantly Against Anyone Who Seeks To Encroach On This
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” – Patrick Henry, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, … Continue reading
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Tagged Attention, First Principles, Force, Guard, Jewel, Patrick Henry, Preserve, Public Liberty, Ruin, Suspect
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First Principles: I Only Regret Having But One Life To Lose For My Country
“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” – Nathan Hale, before being hanged by the British, September 22, 1776 Some give all…
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Tagged Country, First Principles, Lose, Nathan Hale, One Life, Regret
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First Principles: Religion and Law Are Twin Sisters
“Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other. The divine law, as discovered by reason and the moral sense, forms an essential part of … Continue reading
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Tagged Authority, Divine, Enemies, First Principles, Friends, Human Law, James Wilson, Law, Religion, Rivals, Twin Sisters
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First Principles: It Is For the President Alone To Decide To Act Or Not Act Consistent Within the Bounds of the Constitution
“If, for instance, the president is required to do any act, he is not only authorized, but required, to decide for himself, whether, consistently with his constitutional duties, he can do the act.” – Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, … Continue reading →