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Tag Archives: First Principles
First Principles: The Right To Bear Arms Is Grounded On Opposition To Tyranny
“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
First Principles: Seek To Friend A Righteous Government; Be An Enemy To Tyranny
“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
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Tagged Boston Massacre, Enemy, Enmity, First Principles, Friend, John Hancock, Justice, Oration, Principles, Reason, Righteous Government, Tryanny
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First Principles: Freedom Is Kept Through Virtue and Knowledge
“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
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Tagged Diffusion, First Principles, James Warren, Knowledge, Samuel Adams, Security, The People, Virtue, We
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First Principles: To Have Freedom, You Must Defend It
“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
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Tagged Candidus, Defend, First Principles, Free, Freedom, Samuel Adams, The Boston Gazette, Truth, Value
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First Principles: From Many Parts We Have Become An American One
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
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Tagged American, Distinctions, First Principles, Patrick Henry, United States of America, Unity, Values
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First Principles: God Governs the Affairs of Man
“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
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Tagged Benjamin Franklin, Christianity, First Principles, God, Governance, House, Life, Nation, Sparrow
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Government Is At Best A Necessary Evil
“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
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Tagged Blessing, Common Sense, First Principles, Government, Intolerable, Necessary Evil, Society, Thomas Paine, Wordpress
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First Principles: To Love Liberty Is To Love Others
“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
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Tagged First Principles, Hypocrisy, Liberty, Love, Love of Others, Ourselves, Power, William Hazlitt
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First Principles: Liberty of the Press Does not Mean Liberty To Defame
“If by the liberty of the press were understood merely the liberty of discussing the propriety of public measures and political opinions, let us have as much of it as you please: But if it means the liberty of affronting, … Continue reading
First Principles: Our Constitution Is Based On the Wisdom of the Ages
“In the formation of our constitution the wisdom of all ages is collected — the legislators of antiquity are consulted, as well as the opinions and interests of the millions who are concerned. It short, it is an empire of … Continue reading
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 