Quotes About Freedom

I am convinced that those societies which live without government enjoy in their gen'l mass an infinitely greater degree of happiness.

All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollection of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance.

I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.

If Americans desire to be both ignorant and free, they want what never has been and what never will be.

I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it

Freedom, the first-born of science.

I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.

I am not a Federalist because I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever....Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.

Postpone to the great object of Liberty every smaller motive and passion.

Error of opinion may be tolerated, where reason is left free to combat it.

Those willing to accept the tranquility of servitude, had best be prepared to crouch to his knee's, and lick the hand that feeds him.

History has informed us that bodies of men, as well as individuals, are susceptible of the spirit of tyranny.

El árbol de la libertad debe ser vigorizado de vez en cuando con la sangre de patriotas y tiranos: es su fertilizante natural»

all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere.

Under the law of nature, all men are born free, every one comes into the world with a right to his own person, which includes the liberty of moving and using it at his own will. This is what is called personal liberty, and is given him by the author of nature, because necessary for his own sustenance.

A little rebellion now and then is a good thing

I shall not die without a hope that light and liberty are on a steady advance....The flames kindled on the 4th of July 1776, have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism.

Se c'è tra noi chi voglia dissolvere questa Unione o cambiarne la forma repubblicana, lo si lasci indisturbato, a testimonianza della sicurezza con la quale si possono tollerare opinioni errate là dove la ragione è libera di combatterle.

Nothing then is unchangeable but the inherent and inalienable rights of man.

Liberty is the parent of science and of virtue, and a nation will be great in both in proportion as it is free.

Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them if we basely entail hereditary bondage on them.

The people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, & they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree.