The quote database

I advance with obedience to the work, ready to retire from it whenever you become sensible how much better choice it is in your power to make

The constitution of a country is not the act of its government, but of the people constituting its government.

Government with insolence is despotism; but when contempt is added it becomes worse; and to pay for contempt is the excess of slavery.

A constitution is a thing antecedent to a government, and a government is only the creature of a constitution.

If thou bear it unwillingly, thou makest a burden for thyself and greatly increaseth thy load, and yet thou must bear it.

No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works.

There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice.

From that event to the close of the war, I never experienced trepidation upon confronting an enemy, though I always felt more or less anxiety.

If a man knows the wherefore of his existence, then the manner of it can take care of itself.

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it

Do, every day, all that you can do that day, and do each act in an efficient manner.

Extreme altruism is no better and no nobler than extreme selfishness; both are mistakes.

Do all that you can do in a perfect manner every day, but do it without haste, worry, or fear. Go as fast as you can, but never hurry.

Marshall's statement cannot be read to mean in any sense that a President is above the law

Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little.

Sensation is unorganized stimulus, perception is organized sensation, conception is organized perception, science is organized knowledge, wisdom is organized life: each is a greater degree of order, and sequence, and unity.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them.

So, if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

The most rational cure after all for the inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life.

Never with my consent shall an officer of the people, compensated for his services out of their pockets, become the pliant instrument of Executive will.

If parties in a republic are necessary to secure a degree of vigilance sufficient to keep the public functionaries within the bounds of law and duty, at that point their usefulness ends.

The spirit of liberty is the sovereign balm for every injury which our institutions may receive.

Limited as are the powers which have been granted, still enough have been granted to constitute a despotism if concentrated in one of the departments.

When this corrupting passion once takes possession of the human mind, like the love of gold it becomes insatiable.

We shall enter into any war with a full consciousness of the awful consequences that it always entails, whether successful or not, and we, of course, shall make every effort consistent with national honor and the highest national interest to avoid a resort to arms.