Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
I had rather ask an enlargement of power from the nation, where it is found necessary, than to assume it by a construction which would make our powers boundless.
Thomas Jefferson
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
TAGS & TOPICS
Thomas Jefferson
Age: 83 †
Born: 1743
Born: April 2
Died: 1826
Died: July 4
3Rd U.S. President
Archaeologist
Architect
Cryptographer
Diplomat
Farmer
Inventor
Jurist
Lawyer
Philosopher
Politician
Slaveholder
President Jefferson
T. Jefferson
Would
Necessary
Enlargement
Nation
Notable
Asks
Boundless
Nations
Construction
Rather
Assume
Found
Powers
Power
Assuming
Make
Constitution
More quotes by Thomas Jefferson
When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.
Thomas Jefferson
I never saw an instance of one or two disputants convincing the other by argument.
Thomas Jefferson
Knowing that religion does not furnish grosser bigots than law, I expect little from old judges.
Thomas Jefferson
It is a [disputed] question, whether the circulation of paper, rather than of specie [gold and silver coin], is a good or an evil I believe it to be one of those cases where mercantile clamor will bear down reason, until it is corrected by ruin.
Thomas Jefferson
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.
Thomas Jefferson
I would rather have newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers.
Thomas Jefferson
When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles every other correction is either useless or a new evil.
Thomas Jefferson
The day is not distant when we must bear and adopt [the abolition of slavery], or worse will follow.
Thomas Jefferson
The constitution of the United States is the result of the collected wisdom of our country.
Thomas Jefferson
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.
Thomas Jefferson
To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.
Thomas Jefferson
I have overlived the generation with which mutual labors & perils begat mutual confidence and influence.
Thomas Jefferson
We confide in our strength, without boasting of it, we respect that of others, without fearing it.
Thomas Jefferson
I, place economy among the first & most important republican virtues, & public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared
Thomas Jefferson
Those are governed best who are governed least.
Thomas Jefferson
Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
Thomas Jefferson
An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes.
Thomas Jefferson
The difficulty is no longer to find candidates for the offices, but offices for the candidates.
Thomas Jefferson
Botany I rank with the most valuable sciences.
Thomas Jefferson
It is strangely absurd to suppose that a million of human beings, collected together, are not under the same moral laws which bind each of them separately.
Thomas Jefferson