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

John Adams

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John Adams
Age: 90 †
Born: 1735
Born: October 19
Died: 1826
Died: July 4
2Nd U.S. President
Diplomat
Lawyer
Political Philosopher
Politician
Statesperson
Braintree
Massachusetts
President Adams
J. Adams
President John Adams
Political
Factions
Government
Division
Great
Instrument
Abuse
Instruments
Party
Chicanery
Society
Sophistry
Words
Faction

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God is an essence that we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is got rid of, there never will be any liberal science in the world.
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Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.
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In politics the middle way is none at all.
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I never engaged in public affairs for my own interest, pleasure, envy, jealousy, avarice or ambition, or even the desire of fame
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Borrowed eloquence, if it contains as good stuff, is as good as own eloquence
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Mr. Jefferson has reason to reflect upon himself. How he will get rid of his remorse in his retirement, I know not. He must know that he leaves the government infinitely worse than he found it, and that from his own error or ignorance.
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A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man's attention and to inflame his ambition.
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All great changes are irksome to the human mind, especially those which are attended with great dangers and uncertain effects.
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This is a revolution, damn it! We're going to have to offend somebody!
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I shall have liberty to think for myself without molesting others or being molested myself.
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As much as I converse with sages and heroes, they have very little of my love and admiration. I long for rural and domestic scene, for the warbling of birds and the prattling of my children.
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There are two ways to conquer and enslave a country. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.
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The idea of infidelity [a disbelief in the inspiration of the Scriptures or the divine origin of Christianity] cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated [denounced] as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason.
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It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.
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As the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and the blessing of Almighty God, and the national acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him.
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Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense.
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Virtue is not always amiable.
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There is something very unnatural and odious in a government a thousand leagues off. A whole government of our own choice, managed by persons whom we love, revere, and can confide in, has charms in it for which men will fight.
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Ambition is one of the ungovernable passions of the human heart. The love of power is insatiable and uncontrollable.
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Whenever serious art loses track of its roots in the vernacular, then it begins to atrophy.
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