Skip to content

We owe gratitude to France, justice to England, good will…

“We owe gratitude to France, justice to England, good will to all, and subservience to none ... it was by the sober sense of our citizens that we were safely and steadily conducted from monarchy to republicanism, and it is by the same agency alone we can be kept from falling back.” quote by Thomas Jefferson
Download Open image
“We owe gratitude to France, justice to England, good will to all, and subservience to none ... it was by the sober sense of our citizens that we were safely and steadily conducted from monarchy to republicanism, and it is by the same agency alone we can be kept from falling back.”

Thomas Jefferson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The statement credits gratitude, justice, and independence for stable republican transition, warning against complacency.

In simple terms: Gratitude and justice sustain republics.

Key Takeaway

Uphold gratitude, justice, independence.

Themes

politics citizenship republic

Mood

reflective serious

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

  • civic education
  • public policy
  • historical analysis

Key Concepts

civic virtue political stability

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can citizens maintain vigilance?
  • What modern threats challenge republican stability?
A Different Perspective

Overreliance on past virtues may ignore new threats.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Thomas Jefferson

Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes

More Agency quotes

Browse all 1,225 Agency quotes