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I had rather be in my grave than in my present situation, I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world and yet they charge me with wanting to be a king.

George Washington

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George Washington
Age: 67 †
Born: 1732
Born: February 22
Died: 1799
Died: December 14
1St U.S. President
Cartographer
Engineer
Farmer
Land Surveyor
Military Officer
Politician
Slaveholder
Statesperson
Westmoreland County
Virginia
Washington
President Washington
G. Washington
Father of the United States
The American Fabius
Rather
Charge
World
Grave
Graves
Wanting
King
Kings
Emperor
Present
Farm
Situation
Farms

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Some day, following the example of the United States of America, there will be a United States of Europe.
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Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force...Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
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Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a Freeman, contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
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It is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.
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To rectify past blunders is impossible, but we might profit by the experience of them.
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We ought to deprecate the hazard attending ardent and susceptible minds, from being too strongly, and too early prepossessed in favor of other political systems, before they are capable of appreciating their own.
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..avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts, which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen, which we ourselves ought to bear.
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Reason, too late perhaps, may convince you of the folly of misspending time.
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I was no party man myself, and the first wish of my heart was, if parties did exist, to reconcile them.
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The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position.
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We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.
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Smaller societies must prepare the way for greater.
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A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite and their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories as tend to render them independent of others for essential, particularly military, supplies.
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Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.
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Indians and wolves are both beasts of prey, tho' they differ in shape.
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The basis of our political system is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government.
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Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy Holy Word...direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land.
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