It is harder to maintain the balance of freedom than it is to endure the weight of tyranny.

Is it conceivable that a newly emancipated people can soar to the heights of liberty, and, unlike Icarus, neither have its wings melt nor fall into an abyss? Such a marvel is inconceivable and without precedent. There is no reasonable probability to bolster our hopes.

A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay.

He who serves a revolution ploughs a sea.

Morals and lights are our first necessities.

The continuation of authority has frequently proved the undoing of democratic governments. Repeated elections are essential to the system of popular governments, because there is nothing so dangerous as to suffer power to be vested for a long time in one citizen. The people become accustomed to obeying him, and he becomes accustomed to commanding, hence the origin of usurpation and tyranny.

Slavery is the offspring of darkness.