13 Quotes from the Founding Fathers (T13 #2)

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You're often told by political commentators and pundits what the Founding Fathers thought and intended.  The fact is, they didn't all necessarily think the same, any more than politicians today all believe the same things. Here are some interesting things (of course, quoted out of context) that they are known to have said.

1, "Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety."   

-Benjamin Franklin  [quoted here]*

2.We hold it for a fundamental and undeniable truth that religion, or the duty which we owe our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence. The religion, then, of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man: and that it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate.
-James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance to the Assembly of Virginia [quoted here]

3."He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
--Thomas Paine [quoted here]

4. "A general dissolution of Principles and Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader . . . If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security." 
-Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams [quoted here]

5."Bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate would be oppression."

--Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801 [quoted here]*

6. If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws — the first growing out of the last... A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government.
--Alexander Hamilton, Essay in the American Daily Advertiser [quoted here]

7.  [R]eligion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practise Christian forbearance, love, and charity toward each other.
--George Mason, Virginia Declaration of Rights (with James Madison [quoted here]

8.  “The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.”
- George Washington [quoted here]  (cf. "The Treaty of Tripoli")

9. “Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.”
  — John Dickinson (Delaware Delegate to the Constitutional Convention) [quoted here]

10. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress. 

--John Adams (2nd President of US) [quote]

 

11."Liberty is a word which, according as it is used,comprehends the most good and the most evil of any in the world.  Justly understood it is sacred next to those which we appropriate in divine adoration; but in the mouths of some it means anything, which enervate a necessary government; excite a jealousy of the rulers who are our own choice, and keep society in confusion for want of a power sufficiently concentered to promote good."

--Oliver Ellsworth (Delegate; Chief Justice of the United States; quoted here)

12. "The people made the Constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their own will, and lives only by their will." 

-- John Marshall, Cohens v. Virgina [quoted here] ( Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)

13. The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.  

--Patrick Henry [quoted here]

*Images from Founding Fathers Homepage

THANKS TO THOSE WHO RESPONDED:

• Journeywoman of JOURNEYWOMAN (see T13 post here)
• Mailyah of PICTURE CLUSTERS (see T13 post here)
• WACKY MOMMY (see T13 post here)
• Hazel of ADELINE & HAZEL (see T13 post here)
• Ed of ED'S THREAD (see T13 post here)
• Thomma Lyn of TENNESSEE TEXT WRESTLING (see T13 post here)
• Wylie of WYLIE'S WORDS (see T13 here)
• Gattina of WRITER'S CRAMPS (see T13 here)
• Ben Clapton of TOP LEFT HAND PAGE (see T13 here)
• Samulli of EVERYONE LIES (see T13 here)
• Jennie of UNABRIDGED OPINIONS (see T13 here)
• Malcolm of POP CULTURE DISH (see T13 here)
• Candy Minx of THE GNOSTIC WORLD OF CANDY MINX (see T13 here)
• JHS of COLLOQUIUM (see T13 here)
• Chris of MY 2 CENTS (see T13 here)
• L-Squared of DOG'S EYE VIEW (see T13 here)
• Lyn of BLOGGIN' OUTLOUD (see T13 here)
• Marcia of TUMBLED WORDS (see T13 here)
• Veronica of VERONICA ARCH (see T13 here)
• Michelle B of RANDOM RAMBLINGS (see T-13 here)
  

Comments

[Journeywoman]

GREAT List!

That quote from Ben Franklin is one of my favorites.

Happy TT.

[maiylah]

interesting quotes! ;)
#10 had me laughing ... :D

thanks for dropping by,
and happy TT!

[Wacky Mommy]

I love #1 -- so timely.

[hazel]

Very interesting list.

I find it interesting that even when quotes such as these are used to prove one point they can also be used to prove the opposite point. Kind of like the Bible! lol

Thanks for coming by. I'll definitely be back to read more :)

[Ed]

Great List. The Patrick Henry quote is cutting close to home in these days.

[Thomma Lyn]

That's a great list of quotes, and an excellent sampling of the range of thought the founding fathers had on issues of freedom and liberty.

Thanks for the excellent food-for-thought T13! Happy TT, and thanks for visiting mine. :)

[Wylie Kinson]

You've picked very timely quotes - all of them! Now if people would only take heart.

[Gattina]

Some of the quotes are very good. A very interesting TT !

[Ben Clapton]

Some great quotes from some great men. Happy TT!

[samulli]

Every time I come here it always surprises me that I actually manage to find your list interesting, even though usually politics in any form is about as far removed from interesting to me as anything can be. ;o)
I can't really comment on these quotes, though some of them had me laughing:
#8: Yeah, right. I wish it was so. Surely doesn't look that way from the outside.
#9: I didn't know there were poets among your founding fathers.
#10: I have to write that one down somewhere. It is oh so true. ;o)

[Jennie]

Wow! As an Humanities teacher, I'm lucky enough to teach American History this year--I'll be using some of those quotes! Great list! Happy TT!

[Malcolm]

Very thought-provoking TT. I esp. liked 1 and 10.

[Candy Minx]

In so many ways this is kind of overwhelming sad and awfully enjoyable and funny. It's amazing anything is worked out isn't it? A couple of the cquotes, like about unmaking the constitution are rather shocking aren't they? Good idea for a list and what an amazing political blog. good reading!

[JHS]

Great list! I have bookmarked it to return because I may want to reference a couple of those quotes.

Thanks for stopping by "Colloquium"!

[Chris]

Great list! #s 1 & 13 are my favorites.

[L-Squared]

Interesting list of quotes. I hadn't heard a few of these before. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for visiting my TT.

[Lyn]

Seven is a great quote - hadn't read that one before. Great list, and thanks for stopping by Bloggin' Outloud. Even though I did run away to Australia (okay, as a foreign exchange student, but it felt like freedom when I was a junior in HS). Lyn

[Marcia]

I am another one that despises politics. Your list, however was great. I will be back to read more of our site.

[Veronica Arch]

Interesting list! As a Canadian now living in the US I still have a lot to learn about US history. Getting it in nice size bites like this is perfect!

Thanks for stopping by!

[Michelle B]

These are great! I learned quite a bit, myself. I especially like the quote by Benjamin Franklin.