Town meetings are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people's reach.

Religion, which never intervenes directly in the government of American society, should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions

The Union was formed by the voluntary agreement of the States; and these, in uniting together, have not forfeited their Nationality, nor have they been reduced to the condition of one and the same people. If one of the States chose to withdraw its name from the contract, it would be difficult to disprove its right of doing so.

Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery.

It profits me but little, after all, that a vigilant authority always protects the tranquility of my pleasures and constantly averts all dangers from my path, without my care or concern, if this same authority is the absolute master of my liberty and my life.

Men living in democratic times have many passions, but most of their passions either end in the love of riches, or proceed from it.

You need not value it yourself if you do not wish to; but you ought to allow it to us who do value it.