Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: If Ever A Time Should Come, When Vain and Aspiring Men Shall Possess the Highest Seats In Government, Our Country Will Stand In Need of Its Experienced Patriots To Prevent Its Ruin

“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” – Samuel Adams

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First Principles: To Be Prepared For War Is One of the Most Effectual Means of Preserving Peace

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” – George Washington (1790)

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

“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)

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First Principles: If We Can Prevent the Government From Wasting the Labors of the People, Under the Pretence of Taking Care of Them, They Must Become Happy

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.” – Thomas Jefferson (1802)

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First Principles: There Must Be Associations of Men of Unshaken Fortitude. A General Dissolution of Principles & Manners Will More Surely Overthrow the Liberties of America Than the Whole Force of the Common Enemy

“…(T)here must be Associations of Men of unshaken Fortitude. A general Dissolution of Principles & Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the Common Enemy.” – Samuel Adams, in a letter to James Warren, … Continue reading

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First Principles: Bear One Another’s Burdens, and So Fulfill the Law of Christ

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

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

“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

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First Principles: There Is No Justification For Taking Away Individuals’ Freedom In the Guise of Public Safety

“There is no justification for taking away individuals’ freedom in the guise of public safety.” – Thomas Jefferson

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First Principles: A Morsel of Genuine History Is A Thing So Rare As To Be Always Valuable

“A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable.” – Thomas Jefferson (1817)

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First Principles: If the Policy of the Government Upon Vital Questions Affecting the Whole People Is To Be Irrevocably Fixed By Decisions of the Supreme Court…The People Will Have Ceased To Be Their Own Rulers

“[I]f the policy of the government upon vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court…the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned their … Continue reading

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