Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: Laws Are Made For Men of Ordinary Understanding and Should…Be Construed By the Ordinary Rules of Common Sense

Posted on June 30, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense. Their meaning is not to be sought for in metaphysical subtleties which may make anything mean everything or nothing at … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Anything, Common Sense, Construed, Everything, First Principles, Laws, Mean, Meaning, Men, Metaphysical, Nothing, Ordinary Rules, Ordinary Understanding, Pleasure, Subtle, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: My Rule Is … To Go Straight Forward In Doing What Appears To Me Right At the Time, Leaving the Consequences With Providence

Posted on June 28, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“My rule, in which I have always found satisfaction, is, never to turn aside in public affairs through views of private interest; but to go straight forward in doing what appears to me right at the time, leaving the consequences … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Appears, Benjamin Franklin, Consequences, First Principles, Leave, My Rule, Never Turn Aside, Private Interest, Providence, Public Affairs, Right At the Time, Satisfaction, Straight Forward | Leave a comment

First Principles: There Is But One Straight Course and That Is To Seek Truth and Pursue It Steadily

Posted on June 27, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily.” -George Washington (1795)

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First Principles: Falsehood of the Tongue Leads To That of the Heart and In Time Depraves All Its Good Disposition

Posted on June 26, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“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 →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Believe, Contempt, Deprave, Falsehood, First Principles, Good Disposition, Habitual, Heart, Lies, Never, Resolve, Thomas Jefferson, Time, Tongue, Truth, Untruth, Vice | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Foundation of National Morality Must Be Laid In Private Families

Posted on June 25, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families. … In vain are schools, academies, and universities instituted, if loose principles and licentious habits are impressed upon children in their earliest years.” – John Adams (1778) … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Academies, Children, Early Years, First Principles, Foundation, Impressed, John Adams, Licentious Habits, Loose Principles, National Morality, Private Families, Schools, Universities, Vain | Leave a comment

First Principles: They That Can Give Up Essential Liberty To Purchase A Little Temporary Safety, Deserve Neither Liberty Nor Safety

Posted on June 24, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin (1759)

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First Principles: Public Sentiment Is Everything. With Public Sentiment, Nothing Can Fail; Without It, Nothing Can Succeed

Posted on June 23, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” – Abraham Lincoln

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First Principles: History By Apprising Citizens of the Past Will Enable Them To Judge of the Future

Posted on June 22, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“History by apprising [citizens] of the past will enable them to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations; it will qualify them as judges of the actions and designs of … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Ambition, Apprise, Assume, Citizens, Defeat, Designs of Men, Disguise, Enable, Experience, First Principles, Future, History, Judge, Judges of Action, Know, Other Nations, Other Times, Past, Qualify, Thomas Jefferson, Views | Leave a comment

First Principles: My Rule…Is…Go Straight Forward In Doing What Appears To Me Right AT the Time, Leaving the Consequences With Providence

Posted on June 21, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“My rule in which I have always found satisfaction, is never to turn aside in public affairs through views of private interest, but to go straight forward in doing what appears to me right at the time, leaving the consequences … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Appears, Benjamin Franklin, Consequences, Doing, First Principles, My Rule, Private Interest, Providence, Public Affairs, Right At the Time, Satisfaction, Straight Forward, Turn Aside, Views | Leave a comment

First Principles: An Honest Man Can Feel No Pleasure In the Exercise of Power Over His Fellow Citizens

Posted on June 20, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens….There has never been a moment of my life in which I should have relinquished for it the enjoyments of my family, my farm, my … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Exercise of Power, Feel, Fellow Citizens, First Principles, Honest Man, No Pleasure, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment