Quotes from George Mason

The poor despise labor when performed by slaves.

Habituated from our Infancy to trample upon the Rights of Human Nature, every generous, every liberal Sentiment, if not extinguished, is enfeebled in our Minds.

The laws of nature are the laws of God, whose authority can be superseded by no power on earth.

I thank God, I have been able, by adopting Principles of strict Economy and Frugality, to keep my principal, I mean my Country-Estate, unimpaired.

The freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.

No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue.

The augmentation of slaves weakens the states; and such a trade is diabolical in itself, and disgraceful to mankind.

As much as I value an union of all the states, I would not admit the southern states into the union, unless they agreed to the discontinuance of this disgraceful trade, because it would bring weakness and not strength to the union.

Don't wait around for your life to happen to you. Find something that makes you happy, and do it. Because everything else is all just background noise.

I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.

I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few public officials.

To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.

As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this.

Your dear baby has died innocent and blameless, and has been called away by an all wise and merciful Creator, most probably from a life to misery and misfortune, and most certainly to one of happiness and bliss.

Every society, all government, and every kind of civil compact therefore, is or ought to be, calculated for the general good and safety of the community.

I retired from public Business from a thorough Conviction that it was not in my Power to do any Good, and very much disgusted with Measures, which appeared to me inconsistent with common Policy and Justice.

All power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; [...] magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them.

A few years' experience will convince us that those things which at the time they happened we regarded as our greatest misfortunes have proved our greatest blessings.

Our All is at Stake, and the little Conveniencys and Comforts of Life, when set in Competition with our Liberty, ought to be rejected not with Reluctance but with Pleasure.

We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it.

I begin to grow heartily tired of the etiquette and nonsense so fashionable in this city.

In all our associations; in all our agreements let us never lose sight of this fundamental maxim - that all power was originally lodged in, and consequently is derived from, the people.

The freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.

As much as I value an union of all the states, I would not admit the southern states into the union, unless they agreed to the discontinuance of this disgraceful trade, because it would bring weakness and not strength to the union.