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Vanity, I am sensible, is my cardinal vice and cardinal folly and I am in continual danger, when in company, of being led an ignis fatuus chase by it.

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
Sensible
Vice
Folly
Vanity
Vices
Cardinal
Danger
Cardinals
Company
Continual
Chase

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We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp more for our own consumption.
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The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts in other countries ought to admonish us to prevent their growth in our own.
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Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs, and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would.
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All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.
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This is a revolution, damn it! We're going to have to offend somebody!
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The government of the United States of America has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.
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Riches attract attention, consideration, and congratulations of mankind.
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One sailor will do us more good than two soldiers.
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Mystery is made a convenient Cover for absurdity.
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National defense is one of the cardinal duties of a statesman, and that there is an obligation to perform such a duty absolutely irrespective of party politics or factional differences.
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There is no greater guilt than the unneccessary war.
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Negro slavery is an evil of colossal magnitude.
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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 idea of infidelity [a disbelief in the inspiration of the Scriptures or the divine origin of Christianity] cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated [denounced] as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason.
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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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Borrowed eloquence, if it contains as good stuff, is as good as own eloquence
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I never engaged in public affairs for my own interest, pleasure, envy, jealousy, avarice or ambition, or even the desire of fame
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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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Had I been chosen President again, I am certain I could not have lived another year.
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Always stand on principle even if you stand alone.
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