Tag Archives: Liberty

First Principles: Democracy Will Soon Degenerate Into An Anarchy, Such An Anarchy That Every Man Will Do What is Right In His Own Own Eyes

“[D]emocracy 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

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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: 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: Liberty Must At All Hazards Be Supported. We Have A Right To It, Derived From Our Maker

“Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their … Continue reading

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First Principles: Justice Is the End of Government. It Is the End of Civil Society.

“Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.” – James Madison

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Thought For the Day: Liberty, Or the Absence of Coercion, Or the Leaving People To Think, Speak, and Act As They Please, Is In Itself A Good Thing

“Liberty, or the absence of coercion, or the leaving people to think, speak, and act as they please, is in itself a good thing. It is the object of a favourable presumption. The burden of proving it inexpedient always lies, … Continue reading

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First Principles: To Preserve Liberty, It Is Essential That the Whole Body of the People Always Possess Arms, and Be Taught Alike, Especially When Young, How To Use Them

“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them.” – Federal Farmer (1787)

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First Principles: They That Can Give Up Essential Liberty To Purchase A Little Temporary Safety, Deserve Neither Liberty Nor Safety

“They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin (1759)

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First Principles: In Short, Is Not Liberty the Freedom of Every Person To Make Full Use of His Faculties, So Long As He Does Not Harm Other Persons While Doing So?

“In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so? Is not liberty the destruction of all despotism — including, of … Continue reading

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First Principles: We Must Make Our Election Between Economy and Liberty, or Profusion and Servitude

“We must make our election between economy and Liberty, or profusion and servitude.” – Thomas Jefferson (1816)

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