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Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human 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
Virtue
Society
Republicanism
Free
Combinations
Religion
Felicity
Social
Foundations
Government
Combination
Human
Morality
Humans
Foundation

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A desire to be observed, considered, esteemed, praised, beloved, and admired by his fellows is one of the earliest as well as the keenest dispositions discovered in the heart of man.
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I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize man than any other nation.
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Popularity, next to virtue and wisdom, ought to be aimed at for it is the dictate of wisdom, and is necessary to the practice of virtue inmost.
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We hold that each man is the best judge of his own interest.
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During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.
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[You have Rights] antecedent to all earthly governments: Rights, that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws Rights, derived from the Great Legislator of the universe.
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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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This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.
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There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.
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I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman.
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You are apprehensive of monarchy I, of aristocracy. I would therefore have given more power to the President and less to the Senate.
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This is my religion ... joy and exaltation in my own existence ... so go ahead and snarl ... bite ... howl, you Calvinistic divines and all you who say I am no Christian. I say you are not Christian.
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People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.
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I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
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Power in any Form . . . when directed only by human Wisdom and Benevolence is dangerous.
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The destiny of America is to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men everywhere.
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If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it better calculated to promote the general happiness than any other form?
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The way to secure liberty is to place it in the people's hands, that is, to give them the power at all times to defend it in the legislature and in the courts of justice.
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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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I shall have the liberty to think for myself.
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