Debt By Founding Fathers Quotes

• I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Believe, Army, Names

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.277

  83 Copy quote

  Show source

• Think What You Do When You Run in Debt: You Give to Another Power over Your Liberty

  Benjamin Franklin

  Running, Thinking, Debt Free

  Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.291, Barnes & Noble Publishing

  5 Copy quote

  Show source

• To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government Debt, Independence, Liberty

  Thomas Jefferson, Jean M. Yarbrough (1963). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.242, Hackett Publishing

  51 Copy quote

  Show source

• We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government Welfare, Government Debt, Historical

  Thomas Jefferson (2011). “Jefferson on Freedom: Wisdom, Advice, and Hints on Freedom, Democracy, and the American Way”, p.26, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

  25 Copy quote

  Show source

• It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wisdom, War, Government Debt

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1816-1826”, p.184, Cosimo, Inc.

  19 Copy quote

  Show source

• No pecuniary consideration is more urgent, than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt: on none can delay be more injurious, or an economy of time more valuable.

  George Washington

  President, Delay, Redemption

  George Washington (1855). “Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious”, p.120

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• But with respect to future debt; would it not be wise and just for that nation to declare in the constitution they are forming that neither the legislature, nor the nation itself can validly contract more debt, than they may pay within their own age, or within the term of 19 years.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wise, Government, Debt Free

  Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.93, Algora Publishing

  4 Copy quote

  Show source

• I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government; I mean an additional article taking from the Federal Government the power of borrowing.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Mean, Government, Political

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”, p.404

  32 Copy quote

  Show source

• To contract new debts is not the way to pay old ones.

  George Washington

  Debt, Pay, Way

  George Washington, John Clement Fitzpatrick, David Maydole Matteson (1799). “The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799”, p.177

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• ..avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts, which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen, which we ourselves ought to bear.

  George Washington

  War, Government Debt, Owing A Debt

  George Washington, William Jackson (1838). “Monuments of Washington's Patriotism: Containing a Fac Simile of His Publick Accounts Kept During the Revolutionary War; and Some of the Most Interesting Documents Connected with His Military Command and Civil Administration; Embracing, Among Others, the Farewell Address to the People of the United States”, p.16

  3 Copy quote

  Show source

• Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few... No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

  James Madison

  Inspirational, War, Army

  "Political Observations" by James Madison, founders.archives.gov. April 20, 1795.

  11 Copy quote

  Show source

• He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Money, Awe Inspiring, Poor Richard

  Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin ...”, p.252, Printed for H. Colborn

  40 Copy quote

  Show source

• The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond income, growth and entailment of a public debt are indications soliciting the employment of the pruning knife.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Knives, Government Debt, Office

  Thomas Jefferson (1855). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence. Reports and opinions while secretary of state”, p.212

  48 Copy quote

  Show source

• Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Peace, Honesty, War

  First Inaugural Address, 4 Mar. 1801

  84 Copy quote

  Show source

• Of all the enemies of public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.

  James Madison

  Fear, War, Enemy

  James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

  30 Copy quote

  Show source

• And as the vicissitudes of Nations beget a perpetual tendency to the accumulation of debt, there ought to be in every government a perpetual, anxious, and unceasing effort to reduce that, which at any times exists, as fast as shall be practicable consistently with integrity and good faith.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Integrity, Government, Effort

  United States. Dept. of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton (1828). “Reports of the secretary of the Treasury of the United States”, p.101

  12 Copy quote

  Show source

• [Avoid] likewise the accumulation of debt.

  George Washington

  Debt, Accumulation

  George Washington, Andrew Jackson (1862). “Washington's Farewell Address: The Proclamation of Jackson Against Nullification, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.9

  2 Copy quote

  Show source

• Allow a government to decline paying its debts and you overthrow all public morality-you unhinge all the principles that preserve the limits of free constitutions. Nothing can more affect national prosperity than a constant and systematic attention to extinguish the present debt and to avoid as much as possibly the incurring of any new debt.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Principles, Attention

  12 Copy quote

• A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Blessing, Conceited, Political

  Letter to Robert Morris, 30 Apr. 1781

  23 Copy quote

  Show source

• States, like individuals, who observe their engagements, are respected and trusted: while the reverse is the fate of those who pursue an opposite conduct.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Fate, Opposites, Engagement

  United States. Dept. of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton (1828). “Reports of the secretary of the Treasury of the United States”, p.4

  3 Copy quote

  Show source

• As to Taxes, they are evidently inseparable from Government. It is impossible without them to pay the debts of the nation, to protect it from foreign danger, or to secure individuals from lawless violence and rapine.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Taxation, Debt

  Alexander Hamilton (1851). “Political essays [etc., 1792-1804] Contents. Index”, p.737

  44 Copy quote

  Show source

• The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts in other countries ought to admonish us to prevent their growth in our own.

  John Adams

  Country, Government, Growth

  John Adams, Charles Francis Adams (1854). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.126

  5 Copy quote

  Show source

• It is a wise rule and should be fundamental in a government disposed to cherish its credit, and at the same time to restrain the use of it within the limits of its faculties, "never to borrow a dollar without laying a tax in the same instant for paying the interest annually, and the principal within a given term; and to consider that tax as pledged to the creditors on the public faith."

  Thomas Jefferson

  Wise, Government, Dollars

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.200

  4 Copy quote

  Show source

• ‎We must make our choice between economy and liberty or confusion and servitude...If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and comforts, in our labor and in our amusements...if we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Running, Caring, Government

  6 Copy quote

• There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises. To say that the United States should be answerable for twenty-five millions of dollars without knowing whether the ways and means can be provided, and without knowing whether those who are to succeed us will think with us on the subject, would be rash and unjustifiable. Sir, in my opinion, it would be hazarding the public faith in a manner contrary to every idea of prudence.

  James Madison

  Mean, Thinking, Knowing

  2 Copy quote