I am not myself apt to be alarmed at innovations recommended by reason. That dread belongs to those whose interests or prejudices… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I hope that we have not labored in vain, and that our experiment will still prove that men can be governed by… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Your own reason is the only oracle given you by heaven, and you are answerable for, not the rightness, but the uprightness… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I have learned to be less confident in the conclusions of human reason, and give more credit to the honesty of contrary… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Every man's reason is his own rightful umpire. This principle, with that of acquiescence in the will of the majority, will preserve… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
If a sect arises whose tenets would subvert morals, good sense has fair play and reasons and laughs it out of doors… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
We are destined to be a barrier against the return of ignorance and barbarism. Old Europe will have to lean on our… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
We have solved, by fair experiment, the great and interesting question whether freedom of religion is compatible with order in government and… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The diffusion of information and the arraignment of all abuses at the bar of public reason, I deem [one of] the essential… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
In every country where man is free to think and to speak, difference of opinion will arise from difference of perception, and… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
In a free society with a government based on reason, it is inevitable that there will be no uniform opinion about important… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Instead of that liberty which takes root and growth in the progress of reason, if recovered by mere force or accident, it… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Excessive taxation . . . will carry reason & reflection to every man's door, and particularly in the hour of election. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The world is indebted for all triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Neither believe nor reject any thing because any other person, or description of persons have rejected or believed it. Your own reason… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Truth and reason are eternal. They have prevailed. And they will eternally prevail; however, in times and places they may be overborne… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
My reason for fixing them in office for a term of years, rather than for life, was that they might have an… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I hold it certain that to open the doors of truth and to fortify the habit of testing everything by reason are… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
[If a book were] very innocent, and one which might be confided to the reason of any man; not likely to be… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
In a republican nation whose citizens are to be led by reason and persuasion and not by force, the art of reasoning… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The evidence of [the] natural right [of expatriation], like that of our right to life, liberty, the use of our faculties, the… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them;… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Ministers of the Gospel are excluded [from serving as Visitors of the county Elementary Schools] to avoid jealousy from the other sects,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
It is a [disputed] question, whether the circulation of paper, rather than of specie [gold and silver coin], is a good or… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
What has been the effect of coericion [sic]? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“When once we quit the basis of sensation, all is in the wind. To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of… — 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
![“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. [Misattributed]” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/fb1/thomas-jefferson-43_arms_the-strongest-reason-for-the-people-to-r_951173.jpg)
![“The diffusion of information and the arraignment of all abuses at the bar of public reason, I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one of] those which ought to shape its administration.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/bb3/thomas-jefferson-43_abuse_the-diffusion-of-information-and-the-arr_2602644.jpg)
![“[If a book were] very innocent, and one which might be confided to the reason of any man; not likely to be much read if let alone, but if persecuted, it will be generally read. Every man in the United States will think it a duty to buy a copy, in vindication of his right to buy and to read what he…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/ca5/thomas-jefferson-43_book_if-a-book-were-very-innocent-and-one-whi_1766472.jpg)
![“The evidence of [the] natural right [of expatriation], like that of our right to life, liberty, the use of our faculties, the pursuit of happiness, is not left to the feeble and sophistical investigations of reason, but is impressed on the sense of every man. We do not claim these under the…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/ad1/thomas-jefferson-43_charter_the-evidence-of-the-natural-right-of-exp_2308565.jpg)
![“Ministers of the Gospel are excluded [from serving as Visitors of the county Elementary Schools] to avoid jealousy from the other sects, were the public education committed to the ministers of a particular one; and with more reason than in the case of their exclusion from the legislative and…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/760/thomas-jefferson-43_cases_ministers-of-the-gospel-are-excluded-fro_628946.jpg)
![“It is a [disputed] question, whether the circulation of paper, rather than of specie [gold and silver coin], is a good or an evil I believe it to be one of those cases where mercantile clamor will bear down reason, until it is corrected by ruin.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/8ed/thomas-jefferson-43_bears_it-is-a-disputed-question-whether-the-ci_2519938.jpg)
![“What has been the effect of coericion [sic]? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and errors all over the earth... [Instead] reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged; and how can…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/805/thomas-jefferson-43_earth_what-has-been-the-effect-of-coericion-si_851023.jpg)
