If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.
The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.
The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.
A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.
The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.
I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.
The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.
A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.
What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?
