The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.

For if one link in nature's chain might be lost, another might be lost, until the whole of things will vanish by piecemeal.

Religions are all the same...Based upon legends and fantasies

[n regard to Jesus believing himself inspired] This belief carried no more personal imputation than the belief of Socrates that he was under the care and admonition of a guardian demon. And how many of our wisest men still believe in the reality of these inspirations while perfectly sane on all other subjects

We are the friends of liberty everywhere, but the guarrantors of only our own.

Laws abridging the natural right of the citizen should be restrained by rigorous constructions within their narrowest limits.

Gouverneur Morris had often told me that General Washington believed no more of that system (Christianity) than did he himself.