Tag Archives: Thomas Jefferson

First Principles: Be Leery of Transferring Political Disagreements Into Personal Hatred

Posted on January 22, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“It has been a source of great pain to me to have met with so many among [my] opponents who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition; who transferred at once to the person, the hatred … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Distinguish, First Principles, Hatred, Liberality, Opponents, Opposition, Pain, Person, Political, Social, Thomas Jefferson, Transfer | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Press Is Impotent When It Abandons Itself To Falsehood

Posted on January 20, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“But the fact being once established, that the press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood, I leave to others to restore it to its strength, by recalling it within the pale of truth.” – Thomas Jefferson (1805) … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Abandon, Establish, Falsehood, First Principles, Impotent, Lies, Press, Recall, Restore, Strength, Thomas Jefferson, Truth | Leave a comment

First Principles: Dependence Begets Subservience In the Design of Ambition

Posted on January 14, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.” – Thomas Jefferson (1781)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Ambition, Beget, Dependence, Design, First Principles, Germ, Subservience, Thomas Jefferson, Tool, Venality, Virtue | Leave a comment

First Principles: The General Principles Behind the Founding of Our Republic Are Christian Principles

Posted on December 25, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Attributes, Believe, Christianity, Equity, First Principles, Founding Fathers, General Principles, God, Humanity, Immutable, Independence, John Adams, Letter, Thomas Jefferson, Virtue, Wisdom | Leave a comment

First Principles: Never Tell An Untruth

Posted on December 13, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“It is of great importance to set a resolution, not to be shaken, never to tell an untruth. There is no vice so mean, so pitiful, so contemptible; and he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Habit, Important, Lie, Resolve, Thomas Jefferson, Untruth, Vice | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Essential Principles of the United States Are Equal and Exact Justice To All Persons

Posted on December 5, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“It is proper you should understand what I deem the essential principles of our government… Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever persuasion, religious or political.” – Thomas Jefferson (1801)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged All Persons, Equal, Essential, Exact, First Principles, Government, Justice, Persuasion, Politics, Religion, Sacred Duty, Thomas Jefferson, Understand, United States | Leave a comment

First Principles: A Breakdown In the People’s Manners and Spirit Leads To the Destruction of Its Laws and Constitution

Posted on December 1, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigor. A degeneracy in these is a canker which soon eats to the heart of its laws and constitution.” – Thomas Jefferson (1781)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Canker, Constitution, Degeneracy, First Principles, Law, manners, Preserve, Republic, Spirit, The People, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Judiciary Branch Does Not Decide Constitutionality of Laws Solely Nor Fully Independent of the Executive and Legislative Branches

Posted on November 29, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional and what not, not only for themselves, in their own sphere of action, but for the Legislature and Executive also in their spheres, would make … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Accumulation, Co-Equal, Constitutional, Despotism, Executive, First Principles, James Madison, Judiciary, Law, Legislative, Sphere, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Possibilities of Mischief In the Governance of Man Should Remain Bound By the Constitution

Posted on November 27, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” – Thomas Jefferson (1798)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Bind, Chains, Confidence, Constitution, First Principles, Man, Mischief, Power, Question, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: Seek Always the Pursuit of Truth; One Lie Leads To Habitual Lies

Posted on November 25, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“There is no vice so mean, so pitiful, so contemptible; and he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual.” – … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Contempt, First Principles, Habitual, Lie, Lies, Pity, Thomas Jefferson, Vice | Leave a comment