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This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin
Age: 84 †
Born: 1706
Born: January 17
Died: 1790
Died: April 17
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Boston
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Silence Dogood
Ben Franklin
The First American
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Poor Richard
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La pereza anda tan despacio que la pobreza no tarda en alcanzarla.
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All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones. In my opinion, there never was a good war or a bad peace. When will mankind be convinced and agree to settle their difficulties by arbitration?
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To get the bad customs of a country changed and new ones, though better, introduced, it is necessary first to remove the prejudices of the people, enlighten their ignorance, and convince them that their interests will be promoted by the proposed changes and this is not the work of a day.
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You may give give a man office, but you cannot give him discretion
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Lose no time be always employed in something useful.
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If you want something done, ask a busy person.
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People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.
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The riches of a country are to be valued by the quantity of labor its inhabitants are able to purchase, and not by the quantity of silver and gold they possess which will purchase more or less labor, and therefore is more or less valuable, as is said before, according to its scarcity or plenty.
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