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The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.
Thomas Jefferson
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Thomas Jefferson
Age: 83 †
Born: 1743
Born: April 2
Died: 1826
Died: July 4
3Rd U.S. President
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More quotes by Thomas Jefferson
It would not be for the public good to have [a majority in Congress of one party] greater [than] two to one.
Thomas Jefferson
The variety of opinions leads to questions. Questions lead to truth.
Thomas Jefferson
Having labored faithfully in establishing the right of self-government, we see in the rising generation, into whose hands it is passing, that purity of principle and energy of character which will protect and preserve it through their day, and deliver it over to their sons as they receive it from their fathers.
Thomas Jefferson
No society is so precious as that of one’s own family.
Thomas Jefferson
The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.
Thomas Jefferson
War...is as much a punishment to the punisher as to the sufferer.
Thomas Jefferson
The hole and the patch should be commensurate.
Thomas Jefferson
No government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as duty. Good men will obey the last, but bad ones the former only. If our government ever fails, it will be from this weakness.
Thomas Jefferson
The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the strongest breaks up the foundations of society.
Thomas Jefferson
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.
Thomas Jefferson
The only thing a man can take beyond this lifetime is his ethics.
Thomas Jefferson
No race of kings has ever presented above one man of common sense in twenty generations.
Thomas Jefferson
Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.
Thomas Jefferson
Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself.
Thomas Jefferson
It must be observed that our revenues are raised almost wholly on imported goods.
Thomas Jefferson
I believe the states can best govern our home concerns, and the general government our foreign ones.
Thomas Jefferson
We prefer war in all cases to tribute under any form and to any people whatever.
Thomas Jefferson
The Creator has not thought proper to mark those in the forehead who are of stuff to make good generals. We are first, therefore, to seek them blindfold, and then let them learn the trade at the expense of great losses.
Thomas Jefferson
Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction.
Thomas Jefferson
His [Calvin's] religion was demonism. If ever man worshiped a false God, he did. The being described in his five points is ... a demon of malignant spirit. It would be more pardonable to believe in no God at all, than to blaspheme him by the atrocious attributes of Calvin
Thomas Jefferson
