Tag Archives: First Principles

First Principles: The Battle, Sir, Is Not 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, speech in the Virginia Convention, 1775

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First Principles: If Men Were Angels, No Government Would Be Necessary

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great … Continue reading

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First Principles: The Natural Progress of Things Is For Liberty To Yield and Government To Gain Ground

“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to E. Carrington, 1788

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

“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: One Single Object…[Will Merit] the Endless Gratitude of the Society: That of Restraining the Judge From Usurping Legislation

“One single object … [will merit] the endless gratitude of the society: that of restraining the judges from usurping legislation.” – Thomas Jefferson (1825)

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First Principles: Man, Once Surrendering His Reason, Has No Remaining Guard Against Absurdities the Most Monstrous

“Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand … Continue reading

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First Principles: Liberty Cannot Be Preserved Without A General Knowledge Among the People

“Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right, from the frame of their nature, to knowledge, as their great Creator, who does nothing in vain, has given them understandings, and a desire to … Continue reading

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First Principles: There Is No Room In This Country For Hyphenated Americanism

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. …The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to … Continue reading

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First Principles: They Are Not To Do Anything They Please To Provide For the General Welfare…Only to Lay Taxes For that Purpose

“They are not to do anything they please to provide for the general welfare, but only to lay taxes for that purpose. To consider the latter phrase not as describing the purpose of the first, but as giving a distinct … Continue reading

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First Principles: It Is the Duty of All Nations To Acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, To Obey His Will, To Be Grateful For His Benefits, and Humbly To Implore His Protection and Favors

“It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors.” – George Washington, Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789

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