Tag Archives: First Principles

First Principles: There Is A Danger In Judges Yielding To the Popular Passions of The Day

“The danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defense of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices … Continue reading →

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First Principles: At Times, Honesty Requires the Willingness To Offend

“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.”– Thomas Paine, in The Forester’s Letters, April 24, 1776 The Forester Letters may be read here: http://thomaspaine.org/essays/american-revolution/the-forester-s-letters.html      

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First Principles: National Morality Cannot Prevail When Belief Is Excluded

“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality … Continue reading →

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First Principles: Self Defense Is A Natural Right

“Self-defence is a part of the law of nature; nor can it be denied the community, even against the king himself.” – John Locke (1632-1704)          

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First Principles: Without Liberty, Law Becomes Oppression; Without Law Liberty Become Licentiousness

“Without liberty, law loses its nature and its name, and becomes oppression. Without law, liberty also loses its nature and its name, and becomes licentiousness.”  – James Wilson, Lectures on Law, 1790 An excellent resource with respect to this work … Continue reading →

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First Principles: Peace Is Better Than War; War Is Better Than Tribute

“It is a principle incorporated into the settled policy of America, that as peace is better than war, war is better than tribute.” – James Madison, 1816        

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First Principles: The Road That Providence Has Set For the United States Should Never Be Abandoned

“No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange, then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means and to depart from … Continue reading →

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First Principles: A Good Moral Character Is the First Essential In A Man

“[A] good moral character is the first essential in a man, and that the habits contracted at your age are generally indelible, and your conduct here may stamp your character through life. It is therefore highly important that you should … Continue reading →

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First Principles: All Slavery Should Be Held In Abhorrence

“Every measure of prudence, therefore, ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States. … I have, throughout my whole life, held the practice of slavery in … abhorrence.” – John Adams (1819) The … Continue reading →

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First Principles: Everyone Has the Right To Worship According To Their Conscience

“As neither reason requires, nor religion permits the contrary, every man living in or out of a state of civil society, has a right peaceably and quietly to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience.” –Samuel Adams, A … Continue reading →

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