It must never be forgotten...that the liberties of the people are not so safe under the gracious manner of government as by the limitation of power.

The first maxim of a man who loves liberty, should be never to grant to rulers an atom of power that is not most clearly and indispensably necessary for the safety and well being of society.

That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

It must never be forgotten...that the liberties of the people are not so safe under the gracious manner of government as by the limitation of power.

To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms.

To say that a bad government must be established for fear of anarchy is really saying that we should kill ourselves for fear of dying.

If the federal constitution is to be construed so far in connection with the state constitutions, as to leave the trial by jury in civil causes, for instance, secured; on the same principles it would have left the trial by jury in criminal causes, the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, etc. secured; they all stand on the same footing; they are the common rights of Americans, and have been recognized by the state constitutions.