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A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.

Samuel Adams

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Samuel Adams
Age: 81 †
Born: 1722
Born: September 27
Died: 1803
Died: October 2
Founding Father Of The United States
Philosopher
Politician
Boston
Massachusetts
Sam Adams
First
Virtue
Manners
Liberties
Whole
Liberty
Surrender
Founding
People
Enemy
General
Internals
Common
Revolution
Internal
Invader
Force
Lose
Patriotic
Subdued
Cannot
Principles
Virtuous
Invaders
America
Ready
External
Overthrow
Firsts
Loses
Surely
Dissolution

More quotes by Samuel Adams

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Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death.
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If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.
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I would advise persisting in our struggle for liberty, though it were revealed from Heaven that nine hundred and ninety-nine men were to perish, and only one of a thousand to survive and retain his liberty. One such freeman must possess more virtue, and enjoy more happiness, than a thousand slaves.
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Liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals.
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For no People will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can they easily be subdued, where Knowledge is diffusd and Virtue preservd . On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own Weight, without the Aid of foreign Invaders.
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We may look up to Armies for Defence, but Virtue is our best Security. It is not possible that any state should long remain free, where Virtue is not supremely honord.
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The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.
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I cannot however help repeating Piety, because I think it indispensible. Religion in a Family is at once its brightest Ornament & its best Security.
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Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights and we have had recent instances of violences that have been offer'd to private subjects.
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We cannot make events. Our business is wisely to improve them.
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It is not unfrequent to hear men declaim loudly upon liberty, who, if we may judge by the whole tenor of their actions, mean nothing else by it but their own liberty, to oppress without control or the restraint of laws all who are poorer or weaker than themselves.
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The next step may be fatal to us. Let us then act like wise men, calmly look around us and consider what is best to be done...Let associations and combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just rights.
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It requires time to bring honest Men to think & determine alike even in important Matters. Mankind are governed more by their feelings than by reason.
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I firmly believe that the benevolent Creator designed the republican Form of Government for Man.
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The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people.
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Man's rights are evident branches of, rather than deductions from, the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature.
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The necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance.
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If virtue & knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslav'd. This will be their great security.
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Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.
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It is a very great mistake to imagine that the object of loyalty is the authority and interest of one individual man, however dignified by the applause or enriched by the success of popular actions.
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