You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever.

If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained - we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms, and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us.

He that hath a blind conscience which sees nothing, a dead conscience which feels nothing, and a dumb conscience which says nothing, is in as miserable a condition as a man can be on this side of hell.

[Our Constitution] is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.

Human nature will never part with power. Look for an example of a voluntary relinquishment of power from one end of the globe to another - you will find none.

I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion.

The militia is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it. The great object is that every man be armed.