Quote

But America is a great, unwieldy Body. Its Progress must be slow. It is like a large Fleet sailing under Convoy. The fleetest Sailors must wait for the dullest and slowest. Like a Coach and six-the swiftest Horses must be slackened and the slowest quickened, that all may keep an even Pace.

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
Body
Six
Sailors
May
Wait
Sailor
Swiftest
Must
Horse
Sailing
Convoy
Great
Large
Horses
Unwieldy
Even
Progress
Coach
Quickened
Like
Waiting
Pace
Dullest
Keep
Coaches
Slowest
America
Slow
Fleet

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The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity
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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.
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I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading.
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The only way to form an army to be confided in, was a systematic discipline, by which means all men may be made heroes.
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What other form of government, indeed, can so well deserve our esteem and love?
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This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.
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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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Power always thinks... that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws.
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The destiny of America is to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men everywhere.
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When philosophic reason is clear and certain by intuition or necessary induction, no subsequent revelation supported by prophecies or miracles can supersede it.
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We hold that each man is the best judge of his own interest.
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It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.
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Property is surely a right of mankind as real as liberty.
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We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.
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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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Mankind will in time discover that unbridled majorities are as tyrannical and cruel as unlimited despots.
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The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people, and must be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves.
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Power in any Form . . . when directed only by human Wisdom and Benevolence is dangerous.
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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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The law no passion can disturb. 'Tis void of desire and fear, lust and anger. 'Tis mens sine affectu, written reason, retaining some measure of the divine perfection. It does not enjoin that which pleases a weak, frail man, but, without any regard to persons, commands that which is good and punishes evil in all, whether rich or poor, high or low.
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