It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.

The balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land.

There is no good government but what is republican. That the only valuable part of the British constitution is so; for the true idea of a republic is "an empire of laws, and not of men." That, as a republic is the best of governments, so that particular arrangement of the powers of society, or in other words, that form of government which is best contrived to secure an impartial and exact execution of the law, is the best of republics.

I shall have liberty to think for myself without molesting others or being molested myself.

If the way to do good to my country were to render myself popular, I could easily do it. But extravagant popularity is not the road to public advantage.

Where annual elections end, there slavery begins ... Humility, patience, and moderation, without which every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.

Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.