My refusing to eat meat occasioned inconveniency, and I have been frequently chided for my singularity. But my light repast allows for greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension.
Never trust a government that doesn’t trust its own citizens with guns.
If you do tomorrow what you did today, you will get tomorrow what you got today.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.
Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.
Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who kept their swords.
What can laws do without morals?
Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.
When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.
Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.
Success is the residue of planning.
The world is run by the people who show up.
I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning...
When you are good to others, you are best to yourself.
Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, who don’t have brains enough to be honest.
If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.
Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.
The way to secure peace is to be prepared for war. They that are on their guard, and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked, than the supine, secure, and negligent.