--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human nature itself is evermore an…" description: "\"Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg" --- # Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty… ![“Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of truth and a veneration of virtue. These amiable passions, are the "latent spark" . . . If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and…” quote by John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg) > “Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of truth and a veneration of virtue. These amiable passions, are the "latent spark" . . . If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?” [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature drives liberty, resents injury, and seeks truth and virtue, forming a latent spark for moral discernment. **In simple terms:** Human nature fuels liberty and moral sense. Key Takeaway Cultivate moral awareness. Themes philosophy ethics politics Mood reflective idealistic Type philosophical political When to use this quote - civic education - legal reform - public policy - personal ethics Key Concepts human nature moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can societies nurture this latent spark? - What obstacles hinder moral discernment? A Different Perspective Moral clarity can be clouded by bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-liberty/) [Amiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amiable/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom and liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-and-liberty/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Love Of Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-truth/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Right and wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-and-wrong/) [True and false](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-and-false/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Veneration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veneration/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“...a friend of mankind with shaky moral foundation is a cannibal of mankind, to say nothing of his vainglory; insult the vainglory of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/a-friend-of-mankind-with-shaky-moral-foundation-is-a-cannibal-of/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Blind submission in women is considered a virtue, while submission to wrong is itself wrong, and resistance to wrong is virtue alike in women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernestine-rose/blind-submission-in-women-is-considered-a-virtue-while-submission-to/) [Ernestine Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernestine-rose/) > [Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/children-should-be-educated-and-instructed-in-the-principles-of-2/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/liberty-once-lost-is-lost-forever/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Liberty can no more exist without virtue and independence than the body can live and move without a soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/liberty-can-no-more-exist-without-virtue-and-independence-than-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-world-has-never-had-a-good-definition-of-the-word-liberty-and-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/these-are-the-times-that-try-men-s-souls-the-summer-soldier-and-the/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Some president wishes to be re-elected, and thereupon speaks about the Bible as "the corner-stone of American Liberty." This sentence is a mouth large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/some-president-wishes-to-be-re-elected-and-thereupon-speaks-about-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/a-general-dissolution-of-principles-and-manners-will-more-surely/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Bloomberg's money and media access are a serious danger to American liberty and we must take him head on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lapierre/bloomberg-s-money-and-media-access-are-a-serious-danger-to-american/) [Wayne LaPierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-lapierre/) > [Freedom of speech is one of the greatest American liberties, and I hope this pardon serves as a reminder of the precious freedoms we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/freedom-of-speech-is-one-of-the-greatest-american-liberties-and-i/) [George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/) > [Our American liberty defines our great nation. Let us each learn and do all we can to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/our-american-liberty-defines-our-great-nation-let-us-each-learn-and/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [The most important fact about American liberty is that it has never been a single idea, but a set of different and even contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackett-fischer/the-most-important-fact-about-american-liberty-is-that-it-has-never/) [David Hackett Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackett-fischer/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Vote for me. I'll use my office to take another American's money and give it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/vote-for-me-i-ll-use-my-office-to-take-another-american-s-money-and/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) ## More by John Adams > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Daughter! Get you an honest Man for a Husband, and keep him honest. No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent. Regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/daughter-get-you-an-honest-man-for-a-husband-and-keep-him-honest-no/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-general-principles-on-which-the-fathers-achieved-independence/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-may-affirm-that-the-balance-of-power-in-a-society-accompanies-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-read-the-more-patiently-i-think-and-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/but-what-do-we-mean-by-the-american-revolution-do-we-mean-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/upon-common-theaters-indeed-the-applause-of-the-audience-is-of-more/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [There are only two creatures of value on the face of the earth: those with the commitment, and those who require the commitment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/there-are-only-two-creatures-of-value-on-the-face-of-the-earth-those/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [ I will insist the Hebrews have \[contributed\] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-will-insist-the-hebrews-have-contributed-more-to-civilize-men-than/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/government-is-instituted-for-the-common-good-for-the-protection/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/make-things-rather-than-persons-the-subjects-of-conversations/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/during-the-whole-time-i-sat-with-him-in-congress-i-never-heard-him/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/religion-and-virtue-are-the-only-foundations-not-of-republicanism-and/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The universal object and idol of men of letters is reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-universal-object-and-idol-of-men-of-letters-is-reputation/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-consider-a-decent-respect-for-christianity-among-the-best/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Explore all 495 John Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## More American liberty quotes > [Vote for me. I'll use my office to take another American's money and give it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/vote-for-me-i-ll-use-my-office-to-take-another-american-s-money-and/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The most important fact about American liberty is that it has never been a single idea, but a set of different and even contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackett-fischer/the-most-important-fact-about-american-liberty-is-that-it-has-never/) [David Hackett Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackett-fischer/) > [Our American liberty defines our great nation. Let us each learn and do all we can to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/our-american-liberty-defines-our-great-nation-let-us-each-learn-and/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Freedom of speech is one of the greatest American liberties, and I hope this pardon serves as a reminder of the precious freedoms we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/freedom-of-speech-is-one-of-the-greatest-american-liberties-and-i/) [George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/) > [Bloomberg's money and media access are a serious danger to American liberty and we must take him head on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lapierre/bloomberg-s-money-and-media-access-are-a-serious-danger-to-american/) [Wayne LaPierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-lapierre/) > [A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/a-general-dissolution-of-principles-and-manners-will-more-surely/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Some president wishes to be re-elected, and thereupon speaks about the Bible as "the corner-stone of American Liberty." This sentence is a mouth large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/some-president-wishes-to-be-re-elected-and-thereupon-speaks-about-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/these-are-the-times-that-try-men-s-souls-the-summer-soldier-and-the/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-world-has-never-had-a-good-definition-of-the-word-liberty-and-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The first thing I have at heart is American liberty; the second thing is American union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/the-first-thing-i-have-at-heart-is-american-liberty-the-second-thing/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/only-a-virtuous-people-are-capable-of-freedom-as-nations-become/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The widespread distribution of private property ownership is the cornerstone of American liberty. Without it neither our free enterprise system nor our republican form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-h-reiman/the-widespread-distribution-of-private-property-ownership-is-the/) Jeffrey H Reiman > [The first step in saving our liberty is to realize how much we have already lost, how we lost it, and how we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-first-step-in-saving-our-liberty-is-to-realize-how-much-we-have/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [The people cannot be all, and always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-people-cannot-be-all-and-always-well-informed-the-part-which-is-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 56 American liberty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-liberty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of truth and a veneration of virtue. These amiable passions, are the \"latent spark\" . . . If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advocate-for-liberty-there-is-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American liberty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advocate-for-liberty-there-is-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/john-adams-529_american-liberty_human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advoc_2628391.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of…” — John Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Human nature itself is evermore an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advocate-for-liberty-there-is-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/human-nature-itself-is-evermore-an-advocate-for-liberty-there-is-also/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```