I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
John Adams
You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; right derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe
John Adams
The way to secure liberty is to place it in the people's hands, that is, to give them the power at all times to defend it in the legislature and in the courts of justice.
John Adams
Grief drives men into habits of serious reflection, sharpens the understanding, and softens the heart
John Adams
Be not intimidated, therefore, by any terrors, from publishing with the utmost freedom whatever can be warranted by the laws of your country; nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberty by any pretenses of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery, and cowardice.
John Adams
Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially for the lower classes of people, are so extremely wise and useful that to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.
John Adams
The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty
John Adams
Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases
John Adams
Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense.
John Adams
Books that cannot bear examination, certainly ought not to be established as divine inspiration by penal laws.
John Adams
Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.
John Adams
The way to secure liberty is to place it in the people's hands, that is, to give them the power at all times to defend it in the legislature and in the courts of justice
John Adams
Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.
John Adams