Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Great quotes from Thomas Jefferson!

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .

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

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.
 
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

7 comments:

  1. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing, MaryLu.
    Well, we have had tornado warnings near Sacramento today. How's the weather down your way? We DO live in California, right? I am beginning to wonder. LOL

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  2. Our weather has been crazy! It's been cold and stormy.. with huge dark clouds.. so unlike California. Weird! A tornado? My goodness. Craziness.

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  3. I know! I love the rain, but this is ridiculous! Do you think God lost his calendar? LOL

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  4. Interesting remarks on economy, but Jefferson's principles wouldn't work in a superpower economy like the United States'. He favored an agricultural society; it was Alexander Hamilton who set the nation's economy up through a system of debt to be the power it eventually became. In a recession, faced with a massive amount of national debt, naturally Hamilton is put down and Jefferson elevated, but our society couldn't live the way Jefferson proposed.

    (Another irony - he left a huge amount of debt behind him for others to pay off...)

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  5. Very interesting. I especially like the one about "The tree of liberty..."

    Did you come across these quotes somewhere in D.C., or did you just have them on-hand in like a quote book or something?

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  6. Abigail, thank you for your perspective and for the information on Hamiliton. I'm one of those who believe in very small government, in limited entitlements to the people, and in no national debt. That's why I adore many of the founding father's ideas. They weren't perfect, but I think many of them had it right. Shame on Jefferson for leaving a national debt!

    Sapphire, I found these quotes online. There were some other good ones I wanted to list but I couldn't verify that Jefferson spoke them.

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