The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.
Beware the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry.
The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and the advantages to result from them, are sufficiently seen and understood.
Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another. It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man.
The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery, for slavery consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in this case.
There are two distinct classes of men – those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes.
From the east to the west blow the trumpet to arms! Through the land let the sound of it flee; Let the far and the near all unite, with a cheer, In defense of our Liberty Tree.
Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.
That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of nations, is as shocking as it is true; but when those who are concerned in the government of a country, make it their study to sow discord and cultivate predjudices between nations, it becomes the more unpardonable.
I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state; up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake.
Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
The more acquisitions the government makes abroad, the more taxes the people have to pay at home.
The United States of America will sound as pompously in the world or in history as The Kingdom of Great Britain.
How necessary it is at all times to watch against the attempted encroachment of power, and to prevent its running to excess.
It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies.
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
Virtue is not hereditary.
If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and that is all that it proves.
If anything had or could have a value equal to gold and silver, it would require no tender law; and if it had not that value it ought not to have such a law; and, therefore, all tender laws are tyrannical and unjust and calculated to support fraud and oppression.
I know not whether taxes are raised to fight wars, or wars are fought in order to raise taxes.