Founding Father Quote of the Day

We are so naturally inclined to give the utmost degree of force to our own case, that we call every...

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:35:44 -0400

We are so naturally inclined to give the utmost degree of force to our own case, that we call every pretension, however founded, a right; and by this means the term frequently stands opposed to justice and reason.

Thomas Paine, Public Good, December 30, 1780

Malevolence, my dear child, is its own punishment, even in this world. Indifference to the happiness...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:15:37 -0400

Malevolence, my dear child, is its own punishment, even in this world. Indifference to the happiness of others must arise from insensibility of heart, or from a selfishness still more contemptible, or rather detestable. But for the same reason that our own individual happiness should not be our only object, that of our relatives, however near or remote, should not; but we should extend our views to as large a circle as our circumstances of birth, fortune, education, rank, and influence extend, inn order to do as much good to our fellow men as we can.

John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams II, September 26, 1782

The truth is that the greatest enemies to the doctrines of Jesus are those calling themselves the...

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:59:30 -0400

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. And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with all this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this the most venerated reformer of human errors.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823

What influence in fact have ecclesiastical establishments had on ,Civil Society? In some instances...

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:09:32 -0400

What influence in fact have ecclesiastical establishments had on ,Civil Society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the Civil authority; in many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny: in no instance have they been seen the guardians of the liberties of the people.

James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance Against religious Assessments, circa June 20, 1785

The general tendency of state politics convinced me that no safe and permanent remedy could be found...

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:49:12 -0400

The general tendency of state politics convinced me that no safe and permanent remedy could be found but in a more efficient and better organized general government. The questions too which were perpetually recurring in the state legislatures, and which brought annually into doubt principles which I thought most sacred, which proved that everything was afloat, and that we had no safe anchorage ground, gave a high value in my estimation to that article in the constitution which imposes restrictions on the states.

John Marshall, letter to Joseph Story, July, 1827

The Dutch say that without an habit of thinking of every doit, before you spend it, no Man can be a...

Mon, 13 May 2013 05:00:45 -0400

The Dutch say that without an habit of thinking of every doit, before you spend it, no Man can be a good Merchant, or conduct Trade with Success. This I believe is a just Maxim in general. But I would never wish to see a Son of Mine govern himself by it. It is the sure and certain Way for an industrious Man to be rich. It is the only possible Way for a Merchant to become the first Merchant, or the richest Man in the Place. But this is an Object that I hope none of my Children ever aim at.

John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, December 18, 1780

The Church of Rome has made it an Article of Faith that no man can be saved out of their Church, and...

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:42:00 -0400

The Church of Rome has made it an Article of Faith that no man can be saved out of their Church, and all other religious Sects approach to this dreadfull opinion in proportion to their Ignorance, and the Influence of ignorant or wicked Priests.

John Adams, from his diary, February 16, 1756

In 1730, I wrote a piece on the other side of the question, which began with laying for its...

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:32:00 -0400

In 1730, I wrote a piece on the other side of the question, which began with laying for its foundation this fact: “That almost all men in all ages and countries, have at times made use of prayer.” Thence I reasoned, that if all things are ordained, prayer must among the rest be ordained. But as prayer can produce no change in things that are ordained, praying must then be useless and an absurdity. God would therefore not ordain praying if everything else was ordained. But praying exists, therefore all things are not ordained, etc. This pamphlet was never printed, and the manuscript has long been lost. The great uncertainty I found in metaphysical reasonings disgusted me, and I quitted that kind of reading and study for others more satisfactory.

Benjamin Franklin, letter to Benjamin Vaughan, November 9, 1779

You may thank my Fds for the Lettrs I have recd; wch has not been one from any Mortal since I left...

Tue, 07 May 2013 10:05:50 -0400

You may thank my Fds for the Lettrs I have recd; wch has not been one from any Mortal since I left Fairfax, except yourself and Mr Dalton.

George Washington, letter to John Augustine Washington, June 28, 1755

Washington had just been very ill, and apparently didn’t appreciate his friends not writing.

In future times a great majority of the people will not only be without landed, but any other sort...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 11:12:40 -0400

In future times a great majority of the people will not only be without landed, but any other sort of, property. These will either combine under the influence of their common situation: in which case, the rights of property & the public liberty, will not be secure in their hands: or which is more probable, they will become the tools of opulence & ambition, in which case there will be equal danger on another side.

James Madison, Speech in the Federal Convention on Suffrage, August 7, 1787

The dangers of inequality were mentioned so many times by our Founders you have to wonder how so many people forgot that.

A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory is the...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:14:32 -0400

A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory is the only part which is of certain durability. “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth forever.” It is of the first importance to duly consider, and estimate, this ever-enduring part.

Abraham Lincoln, Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862

This is certainly taken out of context, but admitting that, I still like where it leads.

Call not coldness of soul, religion; nor put the Bigot in the place of the Christian. Thomas Paine,...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:55:41 -0400

Call not coldness of soul, religion; nor put the Bigot in the place of the Christian.

Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

Something that came to mind again after reading about politicians from the “Christian” Right wanting more cuts in welfare programs.

No invasions of the Constitution are fundamentally so dangerous as the tricks played on their own...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:49:32 -0400

No invasions of the Constitution are fundamentally so dangerous as the tricks played on their own numbers, apportionment, and other circumstances respecting themselves, and affecting their legal qualifications to legislate for the Union.

Thomas Jefferson, opinion on apportionment bill, 1792

Equality of Representation in the Legislature, is a first Principle of Liberty, and the Moment, the...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:35:41 -0400

Equality of Representation in the Legislature, is a first Principle of Liberty, and the Moment, the least departure from such Equality takes Place, that Moment an Inroad is made upon Liberty.

John Adams, letter to Joseph Hawley, August 25, 1776

I do believe that General Washington had not a firm confidence in the durability of our government....

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 10:11:13 -0400

I do believe that General Washington had not a firm confidence in the durability of our government. He was naturally distrustful of men, and inclined to gloomy apprehensions; and I was ever persuaded that a belief that we must at length end in something like a British constitution, had some weight in his adoption of the ceremonies of levees, birth-days, pompous meetings with Congress, and other forms of the same character, calculated to prepare us gradually for a change which he believed possible, and to let it come on with as little shock as might be to the public mind.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Walter Jones, January 2, 1814

It’s nice to have a computer again after my old one burned up, literally. The ones at the library were okay for some things, but they were so outdated they didn’t work with tumblr.

The bible of the creation is inexhaustible in texts. Every part of science, whether connected with...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:51:34 -0400

The bible of the creation is inexhaustible in texts. Every part of science, whether connected with the geometry of the universe, with the systems of animal and vegetable life, or with the properties of inanimate matter, is a text as well for devotion as for philosophy; for gratitude, as for human improvement. It will perhaps be said, that if such a revolution in the system of religion take place, that every preacher ought to be a philosopher. Most certainly; and every house of devotion, a school of science.

Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason Part Two, 1795

I fear there is an infinity of Corruption in our Elections already crept in. All Kinds of Favour,...

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 13:45:56 -0400

I fear there is an infinity of Corruption in our Elections already crept in. All Kinds of Favour, Intrigue and Partiality in Elections are as real, Corruption in my Mind, as Treats and Bribes. A popular Government is the worse Curse, to which human Nature can be devoted when it is thoroughly corrupted.

John Adams, letter to Joseph Hawley, August 25, 1776

But my present sentiments are that some of those practitioners adorn and others disgrace, both the...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:53:18 -0400

But my present sentiments are that some of those practitioners adorn and others disgrace, both the law that they profess and the country they inhabit. The students in the law are very numerous and some of them, youths of which no country, no age, would need to be ashamed - and if I can gain the honor of treading in the rear and silently admiring the noble air and gallant achievements of the foremost rank, I shall think myself worthy of a louder triumph, than if I had headed the whole army of orthodox preachers.

John Adams, letter to Charles Cushing, October 19, 1756

Uncorrected still of the rage of drawing general conclusions from partial and equivocal...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:36:14 -0400

Uncorrected still of the rage of drawing general conclusions from partial and equivocal observations, he hazards the opinion that light promotes vegetation. I have heretofore supposed from observation, that light affects the color of living bodies, whether vegetable or animal; but that either the one or the other receives nutriment from that fluid, must be permitted to be doubted of, till better confirmed by observation. It is always better to have no ideas, than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to Rev. James Madison, July 19, 1788

I can’t fault Jefferson for wanting to wait for confirmation.

The mistake has proceeded from not attending with due care to the mischiefs that may be occasioned...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:54:25 -0400

The mistake has proceeded from not attending with due care to the mischiefs that may be occasioned by obstructing the progress of government at certain critical seasons. When the concurrence of a large number is required by the constitution to the doing of any national act, we are apt to rest satisfied that all is safe, because nothing improper will be likely to be done; but we forget how much good may be prevented, and how much ill may be produced, by the power of hindering the doing what may be necessary, and of keeping affairs in the same unfavorable posture in which they may happen to stand at particular periods.

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist No. 22, December 14, 1787

To this day many make the same argument, only about making 60 votes necessary in the Senate.