The art of printing secures us against the retrogradation of reason and information. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to God alone. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I... [am] convinced [man] has no natural right in opposition to his social duties. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The merchants will manage [commerce] the better, the more they are left free to manage for themselves. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and in-grafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The Habeas Corpus secures every man here, alien or citizen, against everything which is not law, whatever shape it may assume. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
It is time enough, for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere [in the propagation of religious teachings]… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our citizens may be deceived for awhile, and have been deceived; but as long as the presses can be protected, we may… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Neither Pagan nor Mahamedan nor Jew ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the Commonwealth because of his religion. -quoting… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
This formidable censor of the public functionaries [the press], by arraigning them at the tribunal of public opinion, produces reform peaceably, which… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Time indeed changes manners and notions, and so far we must expect institutions to bend to them. But time produces also corruption… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
May [our Declaration of Independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I acknowledge that such a debt [of service to my fellow-citizens] exists, that a tour of duty in whatever line he can… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Your sect [the Jews] by its sufferings has furnished a remarkable proof of the universal point of religious insolence, inherent in every… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The most effectual means of preventing the perversion of power into tyranny are to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Considering the great importance to the public liberty of the freedom of the press, and the difficulty of submitting it to very… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
By a declaration of rights, I mean one which shall stipulate freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of commerce against… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A first attempt to recover the right of self government may fail, so may a second, a third, etc. But as a… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
It is a moot question whether the origin of any kind of property is derived from nature at all. It is agreed… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Most codes extend their definitions of treason to acts not really against one's country. They do not distinguish between acts against the… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“...legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Private enterprise manages so much better all the concerns to which it is equal. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our wish is that...[there be] maintained that state of property, equal or unequal, which results to every man from his own industry… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The opinions of men should not be the object of any government. Our civil rights are no more dependent on our religious… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
No government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as duty. Good men will obey the last, but bad… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The rights of the people to the exercise and fruits of their own industry can never be protected against the selfishness of… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the laws should… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
It behooves our citizens to be on their guard, to be firm in their principles, and full of confidence in themselves. We… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
“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,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share
![“I... [am] convinced [man] has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/222/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_i-am-convinced-man-has-no-natural-right_2566996.jpg)
![“The merchants will manage [commerce] the better, the more they are left free to manage for themselves.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/62f/thomas-jefferson-43_business_the-merchants-will-manage-commerce-the-b_1760667.jpg)
![“It is time enough, for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere [in the propagation of religious teachings] when principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/fac/thomas-jefferson-43_break_it-is-time-enough-for-the-rightful-purpo_2061978.jpg)
![“This formidable censor of the public functionaries [the press], by arraigning them at the tribunal of public opinion, produces reform peaceably, which must otherwise be done by revolution. It is also the best instrument for enlightening the mind of man and improving him as a rational, moral, and…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/45b/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_this-formidable-censor-of-the-public-fun_2795310.jpg)
![“May [our Declaration of Independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/b66/thomas-jefferson-43_assuming_may-our-declaration-of-independence-be-t_1692808.jpg)
![“I acknowledge that such a debt [of service to my fellow-citizens] exists, that a tour of duty in whatever line he can be most useful to his country, is due from every individual. It is not easy perhaps to say of what length exactly that tour should be, but we may safely say of what length it…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/526/thomas-jefferson-43_acknowledge_i-acknowledge-that-such-a-debt-of-servic_2508145.jpg)
![“Your sect [the Jews] by its sufferings has furnished a remarkable proof of the universal point of religious insolence, inherent in every sect, disclaimed by all while feeble and practised by all when in power. Our laws have applied the only antidote to this vice, protecting our religions, as they…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/29c/thomas-jefferson-43_antidote_your-sect-the-jews-by-its-sufferings-has_433645.jpg)
![“Our wish is that...[there be] maintained that state of property, equal or unequal, which results to every man from his own industry or that of his fathers.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/0cd/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_our-wish-is-that-there-be-maintained-tha_689676.jpg)
