Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: A House Divided Will Not Long Stand

Posted on September 30, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.” – John Dickinson, in The Liberty Song (1768) America needs to take heed of these words and soon. The Left seems bent to destroying … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles, Uncategorized | Tagged Divided, Fall, First Principles, Founding Fathers, John Dickinson, Stand, The Liberty Song, United, Unity | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Right To Bear Arms Is Grounded On Opposition To Tyranny

Posted on September 29, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, Disarmed, First Principles, Noah Webster, Resist, Right to Bear Arms, Standing Army, The People, Tyranny | Leave a comment

First Principles: Seek To Friend A Righteous Government; Be An Enemy To Tyranny

Posted on September 28, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Some boast of being friends to government; I am a friend to righteous government, to a government founded upon the principles of reason and justice; but I glory in publicly avowing my eternal enmity to tyranny.” John Hancock, in … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Boston Massacre, Enemy, Enmity, First Principles, Friend, John Hancock, Justice, Oration, Principles, Reason, Righteous Government, Tryanny | Leave a comment

First Principles: Freedom Is Kept Through Virtue and Knowledge

Posted on September 27, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“If Virtue & Knowledge are diffus’d among the People, they will never be enslav’d. This will be their great Security.” – Samuel Adams, in a Letter to James Warren (February 12, 1779) That is perhaps the striking oddity of so … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Diffusion, First Principles, James Warren, Knowledge, Samuel Adams, Security, The People, Virtue, We | Leave a comment

First Principles: To Have Freedom, You Must Defend It

Posted on September 26, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought.” – Samuel Adams, writing as Candidus in The Boston Gazette (October 14, 1771) Other writings by Samuel Adams may be read here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2092 … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Candidus, Defend, First Principles, Free, Freedom, Samuel Adams, The Boston Gazette, Truth, Value | Leave a comment

First Principles: From Many Parts We Have Become An American One

Posted on September 25, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American. – Patrick Henry, Speech in the First Continental Congress, Philadelphia (14 October 1774) All of this polarization keeps getting nastier … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged American, Distinctions, First Principles, Patrick Henry, United States of America, Unity, Values | Leave a comment

First Principles: God Governs the Affairs of Man

Posted on September 24, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“I’ve lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: That God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Benjamin Franklin, Christianity, First Principles, God, Governance, House, Life, Nation, Sparrow | Leave a comment

First Principles: Limiting Information In A Republic Leads To Ignorance and Failed Government

Posted on September 23, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Acquiring, Farce, Free Speech, Free Thought, Information, James Madison, Knowledge Is Power, Learning, Popular Government, Self Governance, Tragedy, We The People, Willful Ignorance | Leave a comment

Government Is At Best A Necessary Evil

Posted on September 22, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Blessing, Common Sense, First Principles, Government, Intolerable, Necessary Evil, Society, Thomas Paine, Wordpress | Leave a comment

First Principles: To Love Liberty Is To Love Others

Posted on September 21, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.” —William Hazlitt (1778-1830) This writer, though as British as John Locke, may be much overlooked these days, but he is on point … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Hypocrisy, Liberty, Love, Love of Others, Ourselves, Power, William Hazlitt | 2 Comments