Tag Archives: John Adams

First Principles: Do Not Be Defeated By False Politeness, Effected Delicacy Or Feigned Decency

Posted on June 9, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Be not intimidated … nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice.” -John Adams … Continue reading →

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First Principles: Let Justice Be Done Though The Falls Should Fall

Posted on June 3, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Let justice be done though the heavens should fall.” – John Adams (1777)

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First Principles: A Republic Is Defined As Ruled By Laws Not Men

Posted on May 4, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“They define a republic to be a government of laws, and not of men.” – John Adams, Novanglus No. 7, 1775

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Definition, First Principles, Government, John Adams, Men, Novanglius Essays, Republic, Rule of Law | Leave a comment

First Principles: Executive Nominees Are Subject To Congressional Approval To Weed Out the Bad Seed

Posted on April 30, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“If the president alone was vested with the power of appointing all officers, and was left to select a council for himself, he would be liable to be deceived by flatterers and pretenders to patriotism.” – Roger Sherman, to John … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Appointees, Cabinet, Congress, False Patriotism, First Principles, John Adams, President, Roger Sherman, Secretaries | Leave a comment

First Principles: No Government Can Restrain Humanity Set Free By Morality and Religion

Posted on April 24, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.” – John Adams (1798) .. But GQ thinks you should read smutty fiction instead…

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Contention, First Principles, Government, Human Passion, John Adams, Morality, Power, Religion, Republican, The Bible, Unbridled | Leave a comment

First Principles: Human Government Is As Good As It Is Godly And Moral

Posted on April 22, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Human government is more or less perfect as it approaches nearer or diverges farther from the imitation of this perfect plan of divine and moral government.” – John Adams, draft of a Newspaper Communication, 1770

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First Principles: All Slavery Should Be Held In Abhorrence

Posted on April 4, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“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 →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Abhorrent, Existing Slavery, Extirpation, First Principles, George Washington, John Adams, Prudence, Slavery, United States | Leave a comment

First Principles: An Objective Standard of Right and Wrong Morality Is Best Applied To the Affairs of Mankind

Posted on March 30, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?” – … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Application, Comprehension, Constitution, First Principles, Government, John Adams, Mankind, Morality, Objective, Understanding | Leave a comment

First Principles: Power Directed Only By Human Wisdom and Benevolence Is Dangerous

Posted on March 13, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Power in any form … when directed only by human wisdom and benevolence is dangerous.” –John Adams, An Attempt to Land a Bishop in America, 1769 Someone once asked me here if I felt the Founding Fathers did not believe … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged An Attempt To Land A Bishop In America, Benevolence, Dangerous, First Principles, Government, Human Wisdom, John Adams, Power | Leave a comment

First Principles: Democracy Degenerates Into Anarchy Without Subordination to Morality

Posted on March 8, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man’s life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Anarchy, Degenerates, Democracy, First Principles, John Adams, Liberty, Life, Morality, Property, Reputation, Security, Subordination, Virtue | Leave a comment