The several states composing the United States of America are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government

Ambition is a tricky little animal to tame. It is very skillful at concealing itself from its master.

If the question [before justices of the peace] relate to any point of public liberty, or if it be one of those in which the judges may be suspected of bias, the jury undertake to decide both law and fact.

Question boldly even the existence of God.

The example of changing a constitution by assembling the wise men of the state, instead of assembling armies, will be worth as much to the world as the former examples we had give them. The constitution, too, which was the result of our deliberation, is unquestionably the wisest ever yet presented to men.

A room without books is like a life without meaning.

Our business is to have great credit and to use it little.