Thomas Jefferson quotes

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.

It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.

A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.

It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.

As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also.

I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.

My theory has always been, that if we are to dream, the flatteries of hope are as cheap, and pleasanter, than the gloom of despair.

Truth is certainly a branch of morality and a very important one to society.

It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.

War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more.

He who knows best knows how little he knows.

Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.

My only fear is that I may live too long. This would be a subject of dread to me.

To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.

Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.

One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

Power is not alluring to pure minds.

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory.

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.

I cannot live without books.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.

A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.

When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence Of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.

History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

Never spend your money before you have earned it.

The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.

Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations.

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

We never repent of having eaten too little.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property.

The second office in the government is honorable and easy; the first is but a splendid misery.

There is not a truth existing which I fear... or would wish unknown to the whole world.

Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

There is not a truth existing which I fear... or would wish unknown to the whole world.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

Taste cannot be controlled by law.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.

Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.

Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave.

I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor - over each other.

I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.

I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.

So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.

In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.

Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.

Conquest is not in our principles. It is inconsistent with our government.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence Of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia.

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.

Friendship is but another name for an alliance with the follies and the misfortunes of others. Our own share of miseries is sufficient: why enter then as volunteers into those of another?

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.

Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.

I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.

Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor.

Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital.

I have done for my country, and for all mankind, all that I could do, and I now resign my soul, without fear, to my God - my daughter to my country.

History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

Truth is certainly a branch of morality and a very important one to society.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.

Peace and abstinence from European interferences are our objects, and so will continue while the present order of things in America remain uninterrupted.

One man with courage is a majority.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.

It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.