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The proposition that the people are the best keepers of their own liberties is not true. They are the worst conceivable, they are no keepers at all they can neither judge, act, think, or will, as a political body.

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
People
Liberty
Keepers
Worst
Proposition
Political
Liberties
True
Propositions
Body
Patriotic
Best
Judge
Think
Judging
Thinking
Neither
Conceivable

More quotes by John Adams

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Every measure of prudence, therefore, ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States ... I have, throughout my whole life, held the practice of slavery in ... abhorrence.
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A government of laws, and not of men.
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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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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.
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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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What other form of government, indeed, can so well deserve our esteem and love?
John Adams
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Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war.
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Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.
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Always stand on principle even if you stand alone.
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During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.
John Adams
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The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.
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I shall have liberty to think for myself without molesting others or being molested myself.
John Adams
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But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.
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The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.
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Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and I shall die abhorring.
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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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Liberty can no more exist without virtue and independence than the body can live and move without a soul.
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My God! This is a revolution! We have to offend someone!
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The universal object and idol of men of letters is reputation.
John Adams
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The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.
John Adams