Peace does not appear so distant as it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to stay; and so come as to be worth the keeping in all future time.

I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country.

We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot.

Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought

The provision of the Constitution giving the war making power to Congress was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons: Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This our convention understood to be the most oppressive of all kingly oppressions, and they resolved to so frame the constitution that no man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.

The power of hope upon human exertion, and happiness, is wonderful.

The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government, and to collect the duties and imposts.