Tag Archives: First Principles

First Principles: Nothing Is More Essential To the Establishment of Manners In A State Than All Persons Employed In Places of Power and Trust Must Be Men of Unexceptionable Characters

“Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters.” – Samuel Adams, letter to James Warren, 1775

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First Principles: Nature Never Deceives Us; It Is Always We Who Deceive Ourselves

“Nature never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

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First Principles: Governments Are Instituted Among Men, Deriving Their Just Powers From the Consent of the Governed

“Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” –Declaration of Independence, 1776

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First Principles: Every Government Degenerates When Trusted To the Rulers of the People Alone

“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories.” – Thomas Jefferson (1781)

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First Principles: Government Is Instituted For the Common Good; For the Protection, Safety, Prosperity, and Happiness of the People

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men…” – John Adams (1776)

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First Principles: I Know No Safe Depository of the Ultimate Powers of the Society But the People Themselves

“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from … Continue reading

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First Principles: The General Government Is Not To Be Charged With the Whole Power of Making and Administering Laws; Its Jurisdiction Is Limited To Certain Enumerated Objects

“[T]he general government is not to be charged with the whole power of making and administering laws: its jurisdiction is limited to certain enumerated objects, which concern all the members of the republic, but which are not to be attained … Continue reading

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First Principles: Truth Can Stand By Itself. Subject Opinion To Coercion: Whom Will You Make Your Inquisitors

“Truth can stand by itself. Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors?” -Thomas Jefferson (1781)

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First Principles: In A Society Under the Forms of Which the Stronger Faction Can Readily Unite and Oppress the Weaker, Anarchy May As Truly Be Said To Resign As In A State of Nature

“In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature.” – James Madison (1788)

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First Principle: Legislation Can Neither Be Wise Nor Just Which Seeks the Welfare of A Single Interest At the Expense and To the Injury of Many and Varied Interests

“Legislation can neither be wise nor just which seeks the welfare of a single interest at the expense and to the injury of many and varied interests.” – Andrew Johnson

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