John Adams Quotes

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

There are two ways to conquer and enslave a country. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.

Always stand on principle even if you stand alone.

But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

Power always thinks... that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws.

One useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three is a Congress.

The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.

Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.

My God! This is a revolution! We have to offend someone!

Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.

Power must never be trusted without a check.

Ideology is the science of idiots.

A government of laws, and not of men.

In politics the middle way is none at all.

The government of the United States of America has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.

If worthless men are sometimes at the head of affairs, it is, I believe, because worthless men are at the tail and the middle

To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.

Mankind will in time discover that unbridled majorities are as tyrannical and cruel as unlimited despots.

July 4th ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion.

He is too illiterate, unread, unlearned for his station and reputation.

When economic power became concentrated in a few hands, then political power flowed to those possessors and away from the citizens, ultimately resulting in an oligarchy or tyranny.

Posterity! you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.

Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.

As the happiness of the people is the sole end of government, so the consent of the people is the only foundation of it.

Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to know...Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly [with your God]. This is enough.

We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!

The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.

Its never to late to get back on your feet though we wont live forever make sure you accomplish what you were put here for

Every problem is an opportunity in disguise.

Those who trade liberty for security have neither.

Mystery is made a convenient Cover for absurdity.

The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.

Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.

Property monopolized or in the possession of a few is a curse to mankind.

It will be celebrated... with pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.

Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.

Nothing is more dreaded than the national government meddling with religion.

The right of a nation to kill a tyrant in case of necessity can no more be doubted than to hang a robber, or kill a flea.

The Declaration of Independence I always considered as a theatrical show. Jefferson ran away with all the stage effect of that... and all the glory of it.

Fear is the foundation of most governments.

Government is nothing more than the combined force of society, or the united power of the multitude, for the peace, order, safety, good and happiness of the people.

But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?

Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense.

People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, unless you have a coupon for a free lunch...or someone gives you a lunch...never mind.

Banks have done more injury to the religion, morality, tranquility, prosperity, and even wealth of the nation than they can have done or ever will do good.