Among a democratic people, where there is no hereditary wealth, every man works to earn a living, or is born of parents who have worked. The notion of labor is therefore presented to the mind, on every side, as the necessary, natural, and honest condition.

The best laws cannot make a constitution work in spite of morals; morals can turn the worst laws to advantage.

The will of the nation is one of those phrases most widely abused by schemers and tyrants of all ages.

[R]eligion cannot share the material strength of the rulers without being burdened with some of the animosity roused against them.

It must not be forgotten that it is especially dangerous to enslave men in the minor details of life. For my part, I should be inclined to think freedom less necessary in the great things than in the little ones, if it were possible to be secure of the one without the other.

The power of the periodical press is second only to that of the people.

In the United States, if a political character attacks a sect, this may not prevent even the partisans of that very sect, from supporting him; but if he attacks all the sects together, every one abandons him and he remains alone.