The finest opportunity ever given to the world was thrown away because the passion of equality made vain the hope for freedom.

Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.

Absolute power demoralizes.

We are not sure we are right until we have made the best case possible for those who are wrong.

Everybody likes to get as much power as circumstances allow, and nobody will vote for a self-denying ordinance.

Liberty is the prevention of control by others.

The true natural check on absolute democracy is the federal system, which limits the central government by the powers reserved, and the state governments by the powers they have ceded.