Quotes from John Adams

Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak.

As the happiness of the people is the sole end of government, so the consent of the people is the only foundation of it.

That the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of the history of the world.

Have you ever found in history, one single example of a nation, thoroughly corrupted, that was afterwards restored to virtue? And without virtue there can be no political liberty.

We are in the the very midst of a revolution, the most complete, unexpected and remarkable of any in the history of nations.

Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.

July 4th ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion.

The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity

The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.

Liberty can no more exist without virtue and independence than the body can live and move without a soul.

If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we serve?

Let us dare to read, think, speak and write.

I read my Eyes out, and cant read half enough neither. The more one reads the more one sees We have to read.

If we take a survey of the greatest actions...in the world...we shall find the authors of them all to have been persons whose Brains had been shaken out of their natural position.

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.

In politics the middle way is none at all.

We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands; we have a check upon two branches of the legislature.

Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon foi, believes itself right. Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views, beyond the comprehension of the weak.

You are apprehensive of monarchy; I, of aristocracy. I would therefore have given more power to the President and less to the Senate.

I never engaged in public affairs for my own interest, pleasure, envy, jealousy, avarice or ambition, or even the desire of fame

My God! This is a revolution! We have to offend someone!

The government of the United States of America has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.

Mystery is made a convenient Cover for absurdity.

Nothing is more dreaded than the national government meddling with religion.