Tag Archives: John Adams

First Principles: Children Should Be Educated and Instructed In the Principles of Freedom

“Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.” – John Adams, Defense of Constitutions, 1787

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First Principles: National Defense Is One of the Cardinal Duties of A Statesman

“National defense is one of the cardinal duties of a statesman.” – John Adams (1815)

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First Principles: Whatever May Be Our Wishes, Our Inclination, or the Dictates of Our Passions, They Cannot Alter the State of Facts and Evidence

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” – John Adams (1770)

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First Principles: The Dictates of Our Passions…Cannot Alter the State of Facts and Evidence

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” – John Adams (1770

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First Principles: Public Virtue Cannot Exist In A Nation Without Private, and Public Virtue Is the Only Foundation of Republics

“Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics. There must be a positive passion for the public good, the public interest, honour, power and glory, established in the minds of … Continue reading

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First Principles: Facts Are Stubborn Things

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” – John Adams (1770)

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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

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First Principles: They Define A Republic To Be A Government of Laws, and Not of Men

“They define a republic to be a government of laws, and not of men.” – John Adams (1775)

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First Principles: If We Suffer Their Minds To Grovel and Creep In Infancy, They Will Grovel All Their Lives

“It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and … Continue reading

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First Principles: Religion and Virtue Are the Only Foundations, Not of Republicanism and of All Free Government, but of Social Felicity Under All Government

“[R]eligion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human society.” – John Adams (1811)

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