Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 33

• When I contemplate the immense advances in science and discoveries in the arts which have been made within the period of my life, I look forward with confidence to equal advances by the present generation, and have no doubt they will consequently be as much wiser than we have been as we than our fathers were, and they than the burners of witches.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Father, Discovery

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.101

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• A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the highest virtues of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Freedom, Mean

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• I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Change, Religious, Religion

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.143, Algora Publishing

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• Anarchy [is] necessarily consequent to inefficiency.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Politics, Anarchy, Inefficiency

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• I discharge every person under punishment or prosecution under the Sedition Law, because I considered, and now consider, that law to be a nullity as absolute and palpable as if Congress had ordered us to fall down and worship a golden image.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Fall, Law, Punishment

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.24

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• I deem it the duty of every man to devote a certain portion of his income for charitable purposes; and that it is his further duty to see it so applied and to do the most good for which it is capable.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Income, Purpose

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.91, Modern Library

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• Nothing betrays imbecility so much as the being insensible of it.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Betray, Imbecility, Insensible

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.4

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• I am convinced that those societies (such as the Native American peoples) which live without government enjoy in their general mass an infinitely greater degree of happiness than those who live under the European governments. Among the former, public opinion is in the place of law, & restrains morals as powerfully as laws ever did anywhere. Among the latter, under pretence of governing they have divided their nations into two classes, wolves & sheep. I do not exaggerate.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Native American, Sheep, Government

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• Light and liberty go together.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Light, Liberty, Together

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.119, Modern Library

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• I am sorry they began their deliberations by so abominable a precedent as that of tying up the tongues of their members. Nothing can justify this example but the innocence of their intentions and ignorance of the value of public discussions. I have no doubt that all their other measures will be good and wise. It is really an assembly of demigods.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wise, Sorry, Ignorance

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, 2: Correspondence and Private Papers”, p.228

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• The Creator has not thought proper to mark those in the forehead who are of stuff to make good generals. We are first, therefore, to seek them blindfold, and then let them learn the trade at the expense of great losses.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Loss, Stuff, Firsts

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.100

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• Our duty to ourselves, to posterity, and to mankind, call on us
  by every motive which is sacred or honorable, to watch over the safety of our beloved country
  during the troubles which agitate and convulse the residue of the world, and to sacrifice to
  that all personal and local considerations.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Sacrifice, Safety

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

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• The patriot, like the Christian, must learn to bear revilings and persecutions as a part of his duty; and in proportion as the trial is severe, firmness under it becomes more requisite and praiseworthy. It requires, indeed, self-command. But that will be fortified in proportion as the calls for its exercise are repeated.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Christian, Exercise, Self

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.37

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• No race of kings has ever presented above one man of common sense in twenty generations.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Kings, Men, Race

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”

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• In matters of principle, stand like a rock.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Rocks, Matter, Principal

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• If I am to meet with a disappointment, the sooner I know it, the more of life I shall have to wear it off.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Disappointment, Disappointing, Knows

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, Anas, Writings 1760-1770”, p.442, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Meaningful, Order, People

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.63, Algora Publishing

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• What is true of every member of the society, individually, is true of them all collectively; since the rights of the whole can be no more than the sum of the rights of the individuals.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Rights, Individual, Members

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”, p.28

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• Who then can so softly bind up the wound of another as he who has felt the same wound himself.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Volunteer, Felt, Wounds

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.318, Penguin

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• The Constitution on which our Union rests, shall be administered by me [as President] according to the safe and honest meaning contemplated by the plain understanding of the people of the United States at the time of its adoption - a meaning to be found in the explanations of those who advocated, not those who opposed it, and who opposed it merely lest the construction should be applied which they denounced as possible.

  Thomas Jefferson

  People, Adoption, Understanding

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• I never saw an instance of one or two disputants convincing the other by argument.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Two, Saws, Argument

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.407, Penguin

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• the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Rights, Law, Majority Rule

  First Inaugural Address, 4 Mar. 1801

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• The Greeks by their laws, and the Romans by the spirit of their people, took care to put into the hands of their rulers no such engine of oppression as a standing army. Their system was to make every man a soldier, and oblige him to repair to the standard of his country whenever that was reared. This made them invincible; and the same remedy will make us so.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Death, Country, Military

  Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.139, Cambridge University Press

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• I long to be in the midst of the children, and have more pleasure in their little follies than in the wisdom of the wise.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wise, Wisdom, Children

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.57, Modern Library

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• Let those flatter, who fear: it is not an American art. To give praise where it is not due, might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Rights, Giving

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.118

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