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 movements of a great nation are connected in all their parts. If errors have been committed they ought to be corrected; if the policy is sound it ought to be supported.

During the darkest days of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress and George Washington - I call him the first George W. - (laughter and applause) - urged citizens to pray and to give thanks and to ask for God's protection.

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

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

There is every reason to believe that our system will soon attain the highest degree of perfection of which human institutions are capable.

Our relations with the other powers of Europe have experienced no essential change since the last session.