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Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.
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
Society
Increase
Power
Importance
Character
Demand
Authority
Corrupts
Leadership
Increases
Position
Persistence
Rights
Demands
Moral
Morality
More quotes by John Adams
Let the human mind loose. It must be loose. It will be loose. Superstition and dogmatism cannot confine it.
John Adams
There are two ways to conquer and enslave a country. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.
John Adams
I am determined to control events, not be controlled by them.
John Adams
Farther I could find it in my heart to wish that you had been at the head of a hundred thousand Israelites . . . & marching with them into Judea & making a conquest of that country & restoring your nation to the dominion of it. For I really wish the Jews again in Judea an independent nation.
John Adams
One useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three is a Congress.
John Adams
When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking or thinking I cannot choose but laugh. No such thing ever existed. No such thing now exists but I hope it will exist. But it must be hundreds of years after you and I shall write and speak no more.
John Adams
I drink no cider, but feast on Philadelphia beer.
John Adams
Facts are stubborn things and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence: nor is the law less stable than the fact.
John Adams
People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.
John Adams
Mankind will in time discover that unbridled majorities are as tyrannical and cruel as unlimited despots.
John Adams
Oh! the wisdom, the foresight and the hindsight and the rightsight and the leftsight, the northsight and the southsight, and the eastsight and the westsight that appeared in that august assembly.
John Adams
There is not an enemy so stout, as to storm and take the fortress of the mind, Unless its infirmity turn traitor, and Fear unbar the gates.
John Adams
All great changes are irksome to the human mind, especially those which are attended with great dangers and uncertain effects.
John Adams
[I] never understood [what a republican government was and] I believe no other man ever did or ever will.
John Adams
I had heard my father say that he never knew a piece of land run away or break.
John Adams
It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.
John Adams
One sailor will do us more good than two soldiers.
John Adams
When I was young, and addicted to reading, I had heard about dancing on the points of metaphysical needles but, by mixing in the world, I found the points of political needles finer and sharper than the metaphysical ones.
John Adams
[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.
John Adams
In days of yore, the poet's pen From wing of bird was plunder'd, Perhaps of goose, but now and then, From Jove's own eagle sunder'd. But now, metallic pens disclose Alone the poet's numbers In iron inspiration glows, Or with the poet slumbers.
John Adams
