Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: You Must First Enable the Government To Control the Governed; and In the Next Place, Oblige It To Control Itself

Posted on July 1, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.” – … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Administer, Control, Difficulty, Enable, First Principles, Frame, Governed, Government, James Madison, Men Over Men, Next Place, Oblige | Leave a comment

First Principles: A Free People Claim Their Rights As Derived From the Laws of Nature, and Not As the Gift of their Chief Magistrate

Posted on June 30, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.” – Thomas Jefferson (1774)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Chief Magistrate, Claim, First Principles, Free People, Gift, Laws of Nature, Rights, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: Honor, Justice, and Humanity, Forbid Us Tamely To Surrender That Freedom Which We Received From Our Gallant Ancestors

Posted on June 29, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms, Endure, First Principles, Gallant Ancestors, Guilt, Hereditary Bondage, Honor, Humanity, Infamy, Justice, Posterity, Resign, Succeeding Generations, Surrender, Thomas Jefferson, Wrethedness | Leave a comment

First Principles: Energy In the Executive Is A Leading Character In the Definition of Good Government

Posted on June 28, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“Energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Ambition, Anarchy, Definition, Energy, Essential, Executive, Faction, First Principles, Good Government, Justice, Laws, Leading Character, Protection, Protection of Property, Security of Liberty, Stead Administration | Leave a comment

First Principles: True Law Is Right Reason In Agreement With Nature; It Is Of Universal Application

Posted on June 27, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“True law is right reason in agreement with Nature; it is of universal application. Unchanging and everlasting; it summons to duty by its commands and averts from wrongdoing by its prohibitions” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Agreement, Averts, Commands, Duty, Everlasting, First Principles, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Nature, Prohibitions, Right Reason, True Law, Unchanging, Wrongdoing | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Cunning of the Fox Is As Murderous As the Violence of the Wolf

Posted on June 26, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Conquest, Cunning, First Principles, Folly, Fox, Justice, Madness, Mercy, Murderous, Object, Thomas Paine, Trick of War, Violence, Wolf | Leave a comment

First Principles: Governments Do Not Make Ideals, But Ideals Make Governments

Posted on June 25, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“Governments do not make ideals, but ideals make governments. This is both historically and logically true. Of course, the government can help to sustain ideals and can create institutions through which they can be the better observed, but their source … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Calvin Coolidge, Character, Create, Enactment, First Principles, Governments, Historical, Ideals, Institutions, Law, Logic, Nation, Nature, Observance, Observed, Source, Sustain, The People | Leave a comment

First Principles: If Individuals Be Not Influenced By Moral Principles; It Is In Vain To Look For Public Virtue

Posted on June 24, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“If individuals be not influenced by moral principles; it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity of a … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Duty of Legislators, First Principles, Individuals, Influence, James Madison, Moral Principles, Necessity, Precept and Example, Public Virtue, Rules of Distributive Justice, Strict Adherence, Utility, Vain | Leave a comment

First Principles: Natural Rights Are the Objects For the Protection of Which Society Is Formed and Municipal Laws Established

Posted on June 23, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“Natural rights [are] the objects for the protection of which society is formed and municipal laws established.” – Thomas Jefferson (1791)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Establish, First Principles, Form, Municipal Laws, Natural Rights, Objects, Protection, Society, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: The First Principle of Society Consists In the Marriage Tie, the Next In Children, the Next In A Family Within One Roof

Posted on June 22, 2023 by alohapromisesforever

“The first principle of society consists in the marriage tie, the next in children, the next in a family within one roof, where everything is in common. This society gives rise to the city, and is, as it were, the … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Children, City, Commonwealth, Family, First Principles, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Marriage Tie, Nursey, Roof, Society | Leave a comment