The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.

In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights.

Truth [comes only] from those ... who cultivate their reason.

Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression.

If this spirit shall ever be so far debased, as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the legislature, as well as on the people, the people will be prepared to tolerate any thing but liberty.

The belief in a God All Powerful wise and good, is so essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man, that arguments which enforce it cannot be drawn from too many sources nor adapted with too much solicitude to the different characters and capacities impressed with it.

The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.