Quotes About Liberty

they were intent on framing a 'Declaration of the Rights of Man'. Some were heard to mutter that the Assembly should write the constitution first, since rights exist in virtue of laws, but jurisprudence is such a dull subject, and liberty so exciting.

It is no life to be always under someone's control, subject to their will and whim.

Political liberty, the tranquility of a nation, nay, knowledge itself, are gifts on which destiny has laid a tax of blood!

The sanctity of womanhood is incompatible with social liberty and social claims; and for a woman emancipation means corruption.

Political liberty, the peace of a nation, and science itself are gifts for which Fate demands a heavy tax in blood!

I am for the largest liberty for the poor man -- for the oppressed.

In order to fly, you have to be free.

Freedom is the crux of self-respect. It is difficult to feel good about ourselves when we are unnaturally dependent on someone or something.

Divorce is a declaration of independence with only two signers.

Well", he says finally. "There's a lot to be said for being unencumbered". He looks greedily around at the nothing of my life. "It's the scent of freedom in here, Casey. You won't be able to smell it till you've lost it.

The whole notion, the whole concept of individual liberty is gone. The whole concept of limited government is gone. The whole concept of the Bill of Rights, the whole concept that the purpose of the Constitution is to limit the government, not limit the people. If you're on the verge of thinking we're losing that, then to me, that's it. That's ballgame. That's nutshell.

Where there are too many policemen, there is no liberty. Where there are too many soldiers, there is no peace. Where there are too many lawyers, there is no justice.

As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.

The one victory we can ever call complete will be that one which proclaims that there is not one slave or one drunkard on the face of God's green earth.

Many free countries have lost their liberty, and ours may lose hers; but, if she shall, be it my proudest plume, not that I was the last to desert, but that I never deserted her.

On the question of liberty, as a principle, we are not what we have been. When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal" a self-evident truth, but now when we have grown fat, and have lost all dread of being slaves ourselves, we have become so greedy to be masters that we call the same maxim "a self-evident lie." The Fourth of July has not quite dwindled away; it is still a great day--for burning fire-crackers!

That perfect liberty they sigh for -- the liberty of making slaves of other people -- Jefferson never thought of, their own fathers never thought of, they never thought of themselves, a year ago. How fortunate for them they did not sooner become sensible of their great misery!

Let north and south--let all Americans--let all lovers of liberty everywhere--join in the great and good work. If we do this, we shall not only have saved the Union; but we shall have so saved it, as to make, and to keep it, forever worthy of the saving. We shall have so saved it, that the succeeding millions of free happy people, the world over, shall rise up, and call us blessed, to the latest generations.

The Autocrat of all the Russias will resign his crown, and proclaim his subjects free republicans sooner than will our American masters voluntarily give up their slaves.

Op dat moment wist ik dat er voor echte vrijheid meer nodig is dan een officiele verklaring. Het gevoel van vrijheid moet daadwerkelijk in iemands ziel wortelen. Blijkbaar is het net zo zeer een geestelijke gesteldheid als een wet.

I'm not holding you against your will; I'm holding you against your car.

Freedom is an illusion. But, liberty from manumission is attainable.

Once you've tasted freedom every choice you make thereafter is your own.

If you take that away from me, and every other opportunity to not quite toe the line," Willing said, "then however many amusing things I'm at liberty to do, I don't feel free. If I don't feel free, I'm not free." I don't feel free, Willing did not add, and I have not felt free since you and yours jammed this fleck of metal into my neck.