Thomas Jefferson Quotes About Enemies

• Born in the same land, we ought to live as brothers, doing to each other all the good we can, and not listening to wicked men, who may endeavor to make us enemies. By living in peace, we can help and prosper one another; by waging war, we can kill and destroy many on both sides; but those who survive will not be the happier for that.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Peace, Brother, War

  Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

• I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have ... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases. The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Thinking, Government, Two

  Letter to William Ludlow, September 6, 1824.

• I was much an enemy to monarchies before I came to Europe. I am ten thousand times more so, since I have seen what they are. There is scarcely an evil known in these countries, which may not be traced to their king, as its source, nor a good, which is not derived from the small fibres of republicanism existing among them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Kings, Europe

  Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.98, Rowman & Littlefield

• A republic will avoid war unless the avoidance might create conditions that are worse than warfare itself. Sometimes, the dispositions of those who choose to make themselves our enemies leaves us no choice.

  Thomas Jefferson

  War, Choices, Enemy

• Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error... They are the natural enemies of error, and of error only... If [free enquiry] be restrained now, the present corruptions will be protected, and new ones encouraged.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Truth, Errors, Political

• A good cause is often injured more by ill-timed efforts of its friends than by the arguments of its enemies. Persuasion, perseverance and patience are the best advocates on questions depending on the will of others.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Perseverance, Effort, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.311, Rowman & Littlefield

• If we suffer ourselves to be frightened from our post by mere lying, surely the enemy will use that weapon; for what one so cheap to those of whose system of politics morality makes no part?

  Thomas Jefferson

  Lying, Enemy, Suffering

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.36

• It is a cruel thought, that, when we feel ourselves standing on the firmest ground in every respect, the cursed arts of our secret enemies, combining with other causes, should effect, by depreciating our money, what the open arms of a powerful enemy could not.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Powerful, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.378, Cosimo, Inc.

• We must meet our duty and convince the world that we are just friends and brave enemies.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Military, Brave, Just Friends

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution”, p.205, Algora Publishing

• Men of energy of character must have enemies; because there are two sides to every question, and taking one with decision, and acting on it with effect, those who take the other will of course be hostile in proportion as they feel that effect.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Character, Men, Two Sides

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

• Reason and free inquiry are the only effective agents against error. Give a loose to them, they will support the true religion by bringing every false one to their tribunal, to the test of their investigation. They are the natural enemies of error and error only. Had not the Roman government permitted free inquiry, Christianity could never have been introduced. Had not free inquiry been indulged at the era of the Reformation, the corruption of Christianity could not have been purged away.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Errors, Government, Giving

• An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Believe, Reality, Political

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

• The truth is, that the greatest enemies to the doctrines of Jesus are those, calling themselves the expositors of them, who have perverted them for the structure of a system of fancy absolutely incomprehensible, and without any foundation in His genuine words.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Jesus, Enemy, Foundation

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.365

• There is on the globe one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans, through which the produce of three-eighths of our territory must pass to market, and from its fertility it will ere long yield more than half of our whole produce and contain more than half our inhabitants.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Yield, New Orleans, History

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”, p.492

• Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

  Thomas Jefferson

  War, Enemy, Foreign Policy

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.215, Cosimo, Inc.

• When a uniform exercise of kindness to prisoners on our part has been returned by as uniform severity on the part of our enemies,you must excuse me for saying it is high time, by other lessons, to teach respect to the dictates of humanity; in such a case, retaliation becomes an act of benevolence.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Kindness, Exercise, Humanity

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.18, Algora Publishing

• The uniform tenor of a man's life furnishes better evidence of what he has said or done on any particular occasion than the word of any enemy.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Gossip, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.51, Modern Library

• But is an enemy so execrable that tho in captivity his wishes and comforts are to be disregarded and even crossed? I think not. It is for the benefit of mankind to mitigate the horrors of war as much as possible.

  Thomas Jefferson

  War, Thinking, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution”, p.14, Algora Publishing

• I believe from what I have lately seen that we should be substantially safe were our Citizens Armed, but we have not as many Arms as we have Enemies in the State.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Believe, Enemy, Citizens

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia I, Correspondence, 1780 - 1782”, p.248, Cosimo, Inc.

• I am ever unwilling that [peace] should be disturbed as long as
  the rights and interests of the nations can be preserved. But whensoever hostile aggressions on these
  require a resort to war, we must meet our duty and convince the world that we are
  just friends and brave enemies.

  Thomas Jefferson

  War, Rights, Long

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.205, Algora Publishing

• We shall divert through our own Country a branch of commerce which the European States have thought worthy of the most important struggles and sacrifices, and in the event of peace on terms which have been contemplated by some powers we shall form to the American union a barrier against the dangerous extension of the British Province of Canada and add to the Empire of liberty an extensive and fertile Country thereby converting dangerous Enemies into valuable friends.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Struggle, Sacrifice

  Thomas Jefferson's letter to George Rogers Clark, founders.archives.gov. December 25, 1780.

• By nature's law, man is at peace with man till some aggression is
  committed, which, by the same law, authorizes one to destroy another as
  his enemy.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Law, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson (1830). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.254

• It is Mortifying to suppose it possible that a people able and zealous to contend with the Enemy should be reduced to fold their Arms for want of the means of defence; yet no resources that we know of, ensure us against this event.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Mean, People, Patriotism

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs Corespondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson Late, President of the United States: Now First Published the Original Manuscripts”, p.191

• One imputation in particular has been repeated till it seems as if some at least believed it: that I am an enemy to commerce. They admit me a friend of agriculture, and suppose me an enemy to the only means of disposing of its produce.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Mean, Agriculture, Enemy

  Thomas Jefferson (1950). “17 February to 30 April 1801”

• We must endeavor to forget our former love for them [the British] and to hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

  Thomas Jefferson

  War, Enemy, Forget

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