Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: Religion and Good Morals Are the Only Solid Foundation of Public Liberty and Happiness

“Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness.” – Samuel Adams

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First Principles: We Should Be Unfaithful To Ourselves If We Should Ever Lose Sight of the Danger To Our Liberties, If Anything Partial…Should Infect the Purity of Our Free…Elections

“We should be unfaithful to ourselves if we should ever lose sight of the danger to our liberties if anything partial or extraneous should infect the purity of our free, fair, virtuous, and independent elections.” – John Adams (1797)

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First Principles: In Regard To Religion, Mutual Toleration In the Different Professions There Is What All Good and Candid Minds In All Ages Have Ever Practiced and…Inculcated On Mankind

“In regard to religion, mutual toleration in the different professions thereof is what all good and candid minds in all ages have ever practised, and, both by precept and example, inculcated on mankind.” – Samuel Adams

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First Principles: The Aim of Every Political Constitution Is, Or Ought To Be, First To Obtain For Rulers Men Who Possess Most Wisdom To Discern and Most Virtue To Pursue the Common Good of the Society

“The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society; and in the next place, to … Continue reading

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First Principles: In Politics, As In Religion, It is Equally Absurd To Aim At Making Proselytes By Fire and Sword. Heresies In Either Can Rarely Be Cured By Persecution

“In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.” – Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Paper No. 1

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Thought For the Day: It Is Perhaps A More Fortunate Destiny To Have A Taste For Collecting Shells Than To Be Born A Millionaire

“It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire.” -Robert Louis Stevenson, novelist, essayist, and poet (13 Nov 1850-1894)

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First Principles: The Battle, Sir, Is Not To the Strong Alone; It Is To the Vigilant, the Active, the Brave

“The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” —Patrick Henry (1775)

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First Principles: It Is of Great Importance To Set A Resolution, Not To Be Shaken, Never To Tell An Untruth

“It is of great importance to set a resolution, not to be shaken, never to tell an untruth. There is no vice so mean, so pitiful, so contemptible; and he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it … Continue reading

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First Principles: We Fight Not To Enslave, But To Set A Country Free and To Make Room Upon the Earth For Honest Men To Live In

“We fight not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men to live in.” – Thomas Paine (1777)

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First Principles: Honesty Is the First Chapter In the Book of Wisdom

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson

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