Thomas Jefferson

The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and ingrafted into the civil institutions, have a bias to look to the civil arm for support, and to awe with civil penalties.

I never did, nor do I believe I ever will, give a dollar for a newspaper. I have thought that the information it contains is not worth the expense.

Every generation needs a new revolution.

I cannot live without books.

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become corrupt as in Europe.

Delay is preferable to error.

The greatest danger to American freedom is a government that ignores the Constitution.

I do not know whether it is a greater proof of the wisdom or the folly of man, that he is so apt to be caught by the same bait, and to fall into the same snare, from generation to generation.

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

The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.

The only security a free people can have for the faithful observance of their constitution and laws, is to be found in a right of taxation.

I have not ceased to be a whole-hearted admirer of the American experiment.

It is time enough for the rightful purposes of government for its officers to show that no one can be trusted.

The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.

I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and Constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind.

We are not to expect to be translated from despotism to liberty in a feather-bed.

To preserve the freedom of the human mind then, and freedom of the press, every spirit should be ready to devote itself to martyrdom; for as long as we may think as we will, and speak as we think, the condition of man will proceed in improvement.

I have great hopes that we shall love each other much when we become better acquainted.