Who but shall learn that freedom is the prize Man still is bound to rescue or maintain; That nature’s God commands the slave to rise, And on the oppressor’s head to break the chain. Roll, years of promise, rapidly roll round, Till not a slave shall on this earth by found.

— John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams Quotes

This hand, to tyrants ever sworn the foe, For Freedom only deals the deadly blow; Then sheathes in calm repose the vengeful blade, For gentle peace in Freedom’s hallowed shade.

— John Quincy Adams

The Bible contains the revelation of the will of God. It contains the history of the creation of the world, and of mankind.

— John Quincy Adams

The declaration that our People are hostile to a government made by themselves, for themselves, and conducted by themselves, is an insult.

— John Quincy Adams

Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves, these are cities and walls.

— John Quincy Adams

Westward the star of empire takes its way.

— John Quincy Adams

Every temptation is an opportunity of our getting nearer to God.

— John Quincy Adams

I cannot ask of heaven success, even for my country, in a cause where she should be in the wrong.

— John Quincy Adams

I want a warm and faithful friend, To cheer the adverse hour; Who ne’er to flatter will descend, Nor bend the knee to power,- A friend to chide me when I’m wrong, My inmost soul to see; And that my friendship prove as strong For him as his for me.

— John Quincy Adams

Strong

Those who take oaths to politically powerful secret societies cannot be depended on for loyalty to a democratic republic.

— John Quincy Adams

The public history of all countries, and all ages, is but a sort of mask, richly colored. The interior working of the machinery must be foul.

— John Quincy Adams

The conflict between the principle of liberty and the fact of slavery is coming gradually to an issue. Slavery has now the power, and falls into convulsions at the approach of freedom.

— John Quincy Adams

The four most miserable years of my life were my four years in the presidency.

— John Quincy Adams

Who but shall learn that freedom is the prize Man still is bound to rescue or maintain; That nature’s God commands the slave to rise, And on the oppressor’s head to break the chain. Roll, years of promise, rapidly roll round, Till not a slave shall on this earth by found.

— John Quincy Adams

America is a friend of freedom everywhere, but a custodian only of our own.

— John Quincy Adams

So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year.

— John Quincy Adams

We understand now, we’ve been made to understand, and to embrace the understanding that who we are is who we were.

— John Quincy Adams

The best guarantee against the abuse of power consists in the freedom, the purity, and the frequency of popular elections.

— John Quincy Adams

I want the seals of power and place, the ensigns of command, charged by the people’s unbought grace, to rule my native land. Nor crown, nor scepter would I ask but from my country’s will, by day, by night, to ply the task her cup of bliss to fill.

— John Quincy Adams

About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have some appointment or favor to ask for their relatives.

— John Quincy Adams

There is in the clergy of all Christian denominations a time-serving, cringing, subservient morality, as wide from the spirit of the gospel as it is from the intrepid assertion and vindication of truth.

— John Quincy Adams

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