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It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.

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
Men
Wickedness
Unlimited
Trusted
Presidential
Weakness
Politics
Rather
Unfit
Power
Renders

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Mankind will in time discover that unbridled majorities are as tyrannical and cruel as unlimited despots.
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I desire no other inscription over my gravestone than: 'Here lies John Adams, who took upon himself the responsibility of peace with France in the year 1800'.
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If the way to do good to my country were to render myself popular, I could easily do it. But extravagant popularity is not the road to public advantage.
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Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.
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The fundamental article of my political creed is that despotism, or limited sovereignty, or absolute power is the same [whether] in a majority of a popular assembly an aristocratic council or oligarchical junto and a single emperor - equally arbitrary, cruel, bloody and in every respect diabolical.
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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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Before any great things are accomplished, a memorable change must be made in the system of education...to raise the lower ranks of society nearer to the higher.
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It is folly to anticipate evils, and madness to create imaginary ones.
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I have examined all religions, and the result is that the Bible is the best book in the world.
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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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They shall not be expected to acknowledge us until we have acknowledged ourselves.
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I had heard my father say that he never knew a piece of land run away or break.
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My country has contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.
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The foundations of national morality must be laid in private families.
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Here is everything which can lay hold of the eye, ear and imagination - everything which can charm and bewitch the simple and ignorant. I wonder how Luther ever broke the spell.
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He is too illiterate, unread, unlearned for his station and reputation.
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We hold that each man is the best judge of his own interest.
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Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. What a Utopia! What a paradise this region would be.
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