"When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred."
Thomas JeffersonTiny Panda Quotes
Quotes by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was a Founding Father of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, a document that played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's founding principles. Born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, Jefferson was a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and the third President of the United States, serving from 1801 to 1809. His presidency is particularly noted for the Louisiana Purchase, a significant territorial expansion of the United States. Jefferson was also the founder of the University of Virginia, reflecting his deep commitment to education and enlightenment ideals.
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"I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country."
Thomas Jefferson"Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits."
Thomas Jefferson"One man with courage is a majority."
Thomas Jefferson"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."
Thomas Jefferson"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever."
Thomas Jefferson"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear."
Thomas Jefferson"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."
Thomas Jefferson"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far."
Thomas Jefferson"Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning."
Thomas Jefferson"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Thomas Jefferson"The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave."
Thomas Jefferson"Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence Of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia."
Thomas Jefferson"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."
Thomas Jefferson"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."
Thomas Jefferson"Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it."
Thomas Jefferson"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none."
Thomas Jefferson"Friendship is but another name for an alliance with the follies and the misfortunes of others. Our own share of miseries is sufficient: why enter then as volunteers into those of another?"
Thomas Jefferson"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
Thomas Jefferson"The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government."
Thomas Jefferson"A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."
Thomas Jefferson"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories."
Thomas Jefferson"It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself."
Thomas Jefferson"Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question."
Thomas Jefferson"If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy."
Thomas Jefferson"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
Thomas Jefferson"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
Thomas Jefferson"A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned."
Thomas Jefferson"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground."
Thomas Jefferson"The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind."
Thomas Jefferson"Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind."
Thomas Jefferson"It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness."
Thomas Jefferson"In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue."
Thomas Jefferson"The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory."
Thomas Jefferson"The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money."
Thomas Jefferson"He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors."
Thomas Jefferson"I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way."
Thomas Jefferson"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty."
Thomas Jefferson"Never spend your money before you have earned it."
Thomas Jefferson"Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing."
Thomas Jefferson"Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you."
Thomas Jefferson"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Thomas Jefferson"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Thomas Jefferson"I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office."
Thomas Jefferson"Power is not alluring to pure minds."
Thomas Jefferson"I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
Thomas Jefferson"Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people."
Thomas Jefferson"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion."
Thomas Jefferson"When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property."
Thomas Jefferson"I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master."
Thomas Jefferson"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."
Thomas Jefferson"Truth is certainly a branch of morality and a very important one to society."
Thomas Jefferson"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."
Thomas Jefferson"The most successful war seldom pays for its losses."
Thomas Jefferson"I cannot live without books."
Thomas Jefferson"Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."
Thomas Jefferson"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual."
Thomas Jefferson"Taste cannot be controlled by law."
Thomas Jefferson"There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me."
Thomas Jefferson"One travels more usefully when alone, because he reflects more."
Thomas Jefferson"Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see."
Thomas Jefferson"The greatest service that can be rendered to any country is to add a useful plant to its culture."
Thomas Jefferson