Thomas Jefferson

I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

I am an Epicurean. I consider the genuine (not the imputed) doctrines of Epicurus as containing everything rational in moral philosophy which Greece and Rome have left us.

I think that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.

I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a rich spot of earth, well watered, and near a good market for the produce of the superflux.

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we are about to present to the world, of the practicability of a decent and republican government, and of maintaining it in an extent of territory such as ours.

I am persuaded myself that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves.

Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a censor morum over each other.

The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.

I have so much confidence in the good sense of man, and his capacity for self-government, that I am never afraid of the issue where reason is left free to exert her force.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretence of taking care of them.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.

I had rather be in my bed than up in the Senate.

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

It is an axiom in my mind that our liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that too of the whole people.

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.