The laws do not take upon them to punish any other than overt acts.

I shall ever repeat it, that mankind are governed not by extremes, but by principals of moderation.

Luxury ruins republics; poverty, monarchies.

The history of commerce is that of the communication of the people.

There are countries where a man is worth nothing; there are others where he is worth less than nothing.

The culminating point of administration is to know well how much power, great or small, we ought to use in all circumstances.

The wickedness of mankind makes it necessary for the law to suppose them better than they really are.