Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: I Hope Some Future Day Will Bring Me the Happiness of Seeing My Family Again Collected Under Our Own Roof, Happy In Ourselves and Blessed In Each Other

“I hope some future day will bring me the happiness of seeing my family again collected under our own roof, happy in ourselves and blessed in each other.” – Abigail Adams (1784)

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First Principles: The Crisis Is Arrived When We Must Assert Our Rights or Submit To Every Imposition That Can Be Heaped Upon Us, Until Custom and Use Shall Make Us As Tame and Abject Slaves

“The crisis is arrived when we must assert our rights, or submit to every imposition, that can be heaped upon us, till custom and use shall make us as tame and abject slaves.” – George Washington (1774)

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First Principles: Determine Never To Be Idle…It is Wonderful How Much May Be Done, If We Are Always Doing

“Determine never to be idle. … It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing.” – Thomas Jefferson (1787)

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First Principles: A Feeble Executive Implies A Feeble Execution of the Government

“A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever may be its theory, must be, in practice, a bad government.” – Alexander … Continue reading

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First Principles: Entrust Unlimited Authority To One Man, To Several, To All, You Will Find That It Is Equally Evil

“Entrust [unlimited authority] to one man, to several, to all, you will still find that it is equally an evil.”  – David Constant (1815)

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First Principles: Real Liberty Is Neither Found In Despotism Or the Extremes of Democracy, But In Moderate Governments

“Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.” – Alexander Hamilton

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First Principles: Never Suppose That In Any Possible Situation, Or Under Any Circumstances, It Is Best For You To Do A Dishonorable Thing, However Slightly So It May Appear To You

“Give up money, give up fame, give up science, give the earth itself and all it contains rather than do an immoral act. And never suppose that in any possible situation, or under any circumstances, it is best for you … Continue reading

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First Principles: May the Father of All Mercies Scatter Light, and Not Darkness, Upon Our Paths

“May the Father of all mercies scatter light, and not darkness, upon our paths.” – George Washington

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First Principles: Enlightened Statesmen Will Not Always Be At the Helm

“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” – James Madison (1787)

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First Principles: The Present Constitution Is the Standard To Which We Are To Cling…Rejecting All Changes But Through the Channel Itself Provides For Amendments

“The present Constitution is the standard to which we are to cling. Under its banners, bona fide must we combat our political foes — rejecting all changes but through the channel itself provides for amendments.” – Alexander Hamilton (1802)

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