George Washington Quotes - Page 6

• A people unused to restraint must be led, they will not be drove.

  George Washington

  People, Restraint

  George Washington, David Maydole Matteson, United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission (1777). “The writings of George Washington from the original manuscript sources, 1745-1799”

  12 Copy quote

• If we mean to support the liberty and independence which has cost us so much blood and treasure to establish, we must drive far away the demon of party spirit and local reproach.

  George Washington

  Party, Mean, Blood

  George Washington (1852). “The life of General Washington: first president of the United States”, p.182

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• There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily

  George Washington

  Freedom, Truth, Knowledge

  George Washington (1852). “The life of General Washington: first president of the United States”, p.233

  12 Copy quote

• In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude. Every man will speak as he thinks, or, more properly, without thinking, and consequently will judge of effects without attending to their causes.

  George Washington

  Men, Thinking, Voice

  George Washington (1839). “Life”, p.303

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• Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.

  George Washington

  Memorial Day, Freedom, 4th Of July

  George Washington, Stephen Lucas (1999). “The Quotable George Washington: The Wisdom of an American Patriot”, p.55, Rowman & Littlefield

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• One of the difficulties in bringing about change in an organization is that you must do so through the persons who have been most successful in that organization, no matter how faulty the system or the organization is. To such persons, you see, it is the best of all possible organizations, because look who was selected by it ad look who succeeded most in it. Yet, these are the very people through whom we must bring about improvements.

  George Washington

  Inspirational, Motivational, Successful

  40 Copy quote

• Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim tribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness - these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. . . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.

  George Washington

  Religious, Business, Men

  "George Washington’s Farewell Address". "The Life of George Washington. Special Edition for Schools", ed. Robert Faulkner and Paul Carrese, Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, oll.libertyfund.org. 2000.

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• Liberty, when it degrades into licentiousness, begets confusion, and frequently ends in tyranny or some woeful confusion.

  George Washington

  Confusion, Liberty, Ends

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• Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven in pity and compassion upon me thy servant, who humbly prostrate myself before thee.

  George Washington

  Jesus, Father, Compassion

  George Washington (1907). “Washington's Prayers”

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• The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.

  George Washington

  4th Of July, Destiny, Government

  First Inaugural Address, New York, N.Y., 30 Apr. 1789

  32 Copy quote

• Much indeed to be regretted, party disputes are now carried to such a length, and truth is so enveloped in mist and false representation, that it is extremely difficult to know through what channel to seek it. This difficulty to one, who is of no party, and whose sole wish is to pursue with undeviating steps a path which would lead this country to respectability, wealth, and happiness, is exceedingly to be lamented. But such, for wise purposes, it is presumed, is the turbulence of human passions in party disputes, when victory more than truth is the palm contended for.

  George Washington

  Wise, Country, Party

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1836). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts; with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.40

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• Let me now warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party. The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another. In governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged.

  George Washington

  Wise, Party, Government

  George Washington’s "Farewell Address", oll.libertyfund.org. September 19, 1796.

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• [The spirit of party] serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another.

  George Washington

  Party, Community, Alarms

  George Washington, Andrew Jackson (1862). “Washington's Farewell Address: The Proclamation of Jackson Against Nullification, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.8

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• For if Men are to be precluded from offering their Sentiments on a matter, which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences, that can invite the consideration of Mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of Speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the Slaughter.

  George Washington

  Taken, Men, Sheep

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1835). “Writings: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts”, p.562

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• Upon the decease [of] my wife, it is my Will and desire th[at] all the Slaves which I hold in [my] own right, shall receive their free[dom] . . . . The Negroes thus bound, are (by their Masters or Mistresses) to be taught to read and write; and to be brought up to some useful occupation, agreeably to the Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, providing for the support of Orphan and other poor Children. And I do hereby expressly forbid the Sale, or transportation out of the said Commonwealth, of any Slave I may die possessed of, under any pretence whatsoever.

  George Washington

  Children, Writing, Law

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• Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can exist apart from religious principle.

  George Washington

  Religious, Truth, Freedom

  26 Copy quote

• Be courteous to all, but intimate with few.

  George Washington

  Friendship, Best Friend, Intimate Relationships

  George Washington (1852). “The life of General Washington: first president of the United States”, p.94

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• Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.

  George Washington

  Inspiring, Inspiration, 4th Of July

  George Washington (1837). “The Writings of George Washington: pt. V. Speeches and messages to Congress, proclamations, and addresses”, p.162

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• A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite.

  George Washington

  Freedom, Gun, People

  George Washington (1855). “Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious”, p.222

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• Freemasonry is an institution founded on eternal reason and truth; whose deep basis is the civilization of mankind, and whose everlasting glory it is to have the immovable support of those two mighty pillars, science and morality.

  George Washington

  Civilization, Two, Support

  80 Copy quote

• [The spirit of party] opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.

  George Washington

  Party, Passion, Government

  George Washington, John Jay, Jared Sparks (1850). “Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States of America”, p.30, New York : J. Wiley

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• The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.

  George Washington

  Travel, War, 4th Of July

  George Washington (1836). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private, Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts; with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.367

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• All combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community.

  George Washington

  Real, Party, Character

  George Washington, United States. President (1789-1797 : Washington) (1847). “Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States of America: Published in September, 1796”, p.7

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• It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency.

  George Washington

  Country, Military, Years

  "Sentiments on a Peace Establishment". Letter to Alexander Hamilton on May 02, 1783. "The Writings of George Washington", edited by John C. Fitzpatrick, Volume 26, p. 289, 1938.

  14 Copy quote

• But if we are to be told by a foreign Power . . . what we shall do, and what we shall not do, we have Independence yet to seek, and have contended hitherto for very little.

  George Washington

  Independence, Littles, Foreign Policy

  George Washington, David Maydole Matteson, United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission (1931). “The writings of George Washington from the original manuscript sources, 1745-1799”

  16 Copy quote

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