In a virtuous and free state, no rewards can be so pleasing to sensible minds, as those which include the approbation of… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Truth can stand by itself...If there be but one right [religion], and [Christianity] that one, we should wish to see the nine… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens . . . There has never… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I believe from what I have lately seen that we should be substantially safe were our Citizens Armed, but we have not… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Taxes should be continued by annual or biennial reeactments, because a constant hold, by the nation, of the strings of the public… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our Constitution... has not left the religion of its citizens under the power of its public functionaries, were it possible that any… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
It is highly interesting to our country, and it is the duty of its functionaries, to provide that every citizen in it… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The future inhabitants of [both] the Atlantic and Mississippi states will be our sons. We think we see their happiness in their… — 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
You know well that government always kept a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The instability of our laws is really an immense evil. I think it would be well to provide in our constitutions that… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
But, you may ask, if the two departments [i.e., federal and state] should claim each the same subject of power, where is… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A single good government becomes... a blessing to the whole earth, its welcome to the oppressed restraining within certain limits the measure… — 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
To your request of my opinion of the manner in which a newspaper should be conducted, so as to be most useful,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
While wading through the whimsies, the puerilities, and unintelligible jargon of this work [Plato's Republic], I laid it down often to ask… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense. Their meaning… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
To preserve the freedom of the human mind then and freedom of the press, every spirit should be ready to devote itself… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Religion, morality, and knowledge are necessary for good government... Therefore schools and the means of educating the people should always be encouraged. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Students of reading, writing and common arithmetick . . . Graecian [Greek], Roman, English and American history . . . should be… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Nothing is more incumbent on the old than to know when they should get out of the way and relinquish to younger… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
[T]he dignity of parliament it seems can brook no opposition to it's power. Strange that a set of men who have made… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I love peace, and am anxious that we should give the world still another useful lesson, by showing to them other modes… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
[We should be] determined... to sever ourselves from the union we so much value rather than give up the rights of self-government...… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The power of declaring war being with the Legislature, the Executive should do nothing necessarily committing them to decide for war in… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
He alone who walks strict and upright, and who, in matters of opinion, will be contented that others should be as free… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Should [reformers] attempt more than the established habits of the people are ripe for, they may lose all and retard indefinitely the… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
And even should the cloud of barbarism and despotism again obscure the science and libraries of Europe, this country remains to preserve… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I learn with great concern that [one] portion of our frontier so interesting, so important, and so exposed, should be so entirely… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I should . . . prefer swallowing one incomprehensibility rather than two. It requires one effort only to admit the single incomprehensibility… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The people, especially when moderately instructed, are the only safe, because the only honest, depositaries of the public rights, and should therefore… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Reading, reflection and time have convinced me that the interests of society require the observation of those moral precepts only in which… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The Constitution on which our Union rests, shall be administered by me [as President] according to the safe and honest meaning contemplated… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself, he has a right to his opinion,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
this last establishment will probably be within a mile of Charlottesville, and four from Monticello, if the system should be adopted at… — 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 Image
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 Image
[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 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
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 Image
“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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
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 Image
![“Truth can stand by itself...If there be but one right [religion], and [Christianity] that one, we should wish to see the nine hundred and ninety-nine wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/142/thomas-jefferson-43_christianity_truth-can-stand-by-itself-if-there-be-bu_2484400.jpg)
![“The future inhabitants of [both] the Atlantic and Mississippi states will be our sons. We think we see their happiness in their union, and we wish it. Events may prove otherwise; and if they see their interest in separating why should we take sides? God bless them both, and keep them in union if…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d56/thomas-jefferson-43_bless_the-future-inhabitants-of-both-the-atlan_1303483.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/quotes/img-quotes/526/thomas-jefferson-43_acknowledge_i-acknowledge-that-such-a-debt-of-servic_2508145.jpg)
![“You know well that government always kept a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, invented and put into the papers whatever might serve the [government] ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/60a/thomas-jefferson-43_army_you-know-well-that-government-always-kep_2551285.jpg)
![“But, you may ask, if the two departments [i.e., federal and state] should claim each the same subject of power, where is the common umpire to decide ultimately between them? In cases of little importance or urgency, the prudence of both parties will keep them aloof from the questionable ground…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d33/thomas-jefferson-43_aloof_but-you-may-ask-if-the-two-departments-i_1638614.jpg)
![“While wading through the whimsies, the puerilities, and unintelligible jargon of this work [Plato's Republic], I laid it down often to ask myself how it could have been that the world should have so long consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this?” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c92/thomas-jefferson-43_asks_while-wading-through-the-whimsies-the-pu_2513325.jpg)
![“Students of reading, writing and common arithmetick . . . Graecian [Greek], Roman, English and American history . . . should be rendered . . . worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f1/thomas-jefferson-43_able_students-of-reading-writing-and-common-a_1559038.jpg)
![“[T]he dignity of parliament it seems can brook no opposition to it's power. Strange that a set of men who have made sale of theirvirtue to the minister should yet talk of retaining dignity!” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/696/thomas-jefferson-43_british-parliament_t-he-dignity-of-parliament-it-seems-can_150191.jpg)
![“[We should be] determined... to sever ourselves from the union we so much value rather than give up the rights of self-government... in which alone we see liberty, safety and happiness.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afb/thomas-jefferson-43_determined_we-should-be-determined-to-sever-ourselv_2791539.jpg)
![“Should [reformers] attempt more than the established habits of the people are ripe for, they may lose all and retard indefinitely the ultimate object of their aim.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/thomas-jefferson-43_aim_should-reformers-attempt-more-than-the-e_1810836.jpg)
![“I learn with great concern that [one] portion of our frontier so interesting, so important, and so exposed, should be so entirely unprovided with common fire-arms. I did not suppose any part of the United States so destitute of what is considered as among the first necessaries of a farm-house.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/adb/thomas-jefferson-43_arms_i-learn-with-great-concern-that-one-port_909914.jpg)
![“The Constitution on which our Union rests, shall be administered by me [as President] according to the safe and honest meaning contemplated by the plain understanding of the people of the United States at the time of its adoption - a meaning to be found in the explanations of those who advocated…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/759/thomas-jefferson-43_adoption_the-constitution-on-which-our-union-rest_929558.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00c/thomas-jefferson-43_change_single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-t_5515.jpg)
![“Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear their leading you out of [any difficult situation] in the easiest manner possible...” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ebe/thomas-jefferson-43_difficult_though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one_9828.jpg)
