The liberty, prosperity, and the happiness of our country will always be the object of my most fervent prayers to the Supreme Author of All Good.

Of the liberty of conscience in matters of religious faith, of speech and of the press; of the trial by jury of the vicinage in civil and criminal cases; of the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus; of the right to keep and bear arms.... If these rights are well defined, and secured against encroachment, it is impossible that government should ever degenerate into tyranny.

The American continents, by the free and independent condition by which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.

We must support our rights or lose our character, and with it, perhaps, our liberties.

In wars of the European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport with our policy so to do

The best form of government is that which is most likely to prevent the greatest sum of evil.

If America wants concessions, she must fight for them. We must purchase our power with our blood.