Law Quotes by John Adams

A government of laws, and not of men.

— John Adams

One useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three is a Congress.

— John Adams

Each individual of the society has a right to be protected by it in the enjoyment of his life, liberty, and property,…

— John Adams

The rights of Englishmen are derived from God, not from king or Parliament, and would be secured by the study of history,…

— John Adams

The study and practice of law ... does not dissolve the obligations of morality or of religion.

— John Adams

The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support…

— John Adams

No good government but what is republican... the very definition of a republic is 'an empire of laws, and not of men.'

— John Adams

The government of the United States of America has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of…

— John Adams

It would be an absurdity for jurors to be required to accept the judge's view of the law, against their own opinion,…

— John Adams

[J]udges, therefore, should be always men of learning and experience in the laws, of exemplary morals, great patience, calmness, coolness, and attention.…

— John Adams

The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there…

— John Adams

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the…

— John Adams

Numberless have been the systems of iniquity contrived by the great for the gratification of this passion in themselves; but in none…

— John Adams

By the former of these (canon law), the most refined, sublime, extensive, and astonishing constitution of policy that ever was conceived by…

— John Adams

I was very strenuous for retaining and insisting on it [law of nature], as a resource to which we might be driven…

— John Adams

As good government is an empire of laws, how shall your laws be made? In a large society, inhabiting an extensive country,…

— John Adams

Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class of people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to…

— John Adams

It is more important that innocence be protected than it is that guilt be punished, for guilt and crimes are so frequent…

— John Adams

There exists, I believe, throughout the whole Christian world, a law which makes it blasphemy to deny or doubt the divine inspiration…

— John Adams

To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders…

— John Adams

The question before the human race is, Whether the God of nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether…

— John Adams

As the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself…

— John Adams

Thus, experience has ever shown, that education, as well as religion, aristocracy, as well as democracy and monarchy, are, singly, totally inadequate…

— John Adams

The law no passion can disturb. 'Tis void of desire and fear, lust and anger. 'Tis mens sine affectu, written reason, retaining…

— John Adams

What a pity it is that our Congress had not known this discovery, and that Alexander Hamilton’s projects of raising an army…

— John Adams

Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his…

— John Adams

A militia law, requiring all men, or with very few exceptions besides cases of conscience, to be provided with arms and ammunition...…

— John Adams

In every society where property exists there will ever be a struggle between rich and poor. Mixed in one assembly, equal laws…

— John Adams

The executive shall never exercise the legislative and judicial powers, or either of them, to the end that it may be a…

— John Adams

I would define liberty to be a power to do as we would be done by. The definition of liberty to be…

— John Adams

[You have Rights] antecedent to all earthly governments: Rights, that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; Rights, derived from the…

— John Adams

“The liberty, the unalienable, indefeasible rights of men, the honor and dignity of human nature, the grandeur and glory of the public,…

— John Adams

A single assembly will never be a steady guardian of the laws, if Machiavel is right, when he says, Men are never…

— John Adams

Since natural law was thought to be accessible to the ordinary man, the theory invited each juror to inquire for himself whether…

— John Adams

There is no good government but what is republican. That the only valuable part of the British constitution is so; for the…

— John Adams

A lawyer once told a jury that the person his client stood accused of having killed was about to walk through the…

— John Adams

If Aristotle, Livy, and Harrington knew what a republic was, the British constitution is much more like a republic than an empire.…

— John Adams

[A] republic . . . [is] a government, in which the property of the public, or people, and of every one of…

— John Adams