Never suppose that in any possible situation or under any circumstances that it is best for you to do a dishonorable thing however slightly so it may appear to you... Encourage all your virtuous dispositions, and exercise them whenever an opportunity arises, being assured that they will gain strength by exercise ... and that exercise will make them habitual.

The clergy ... believe that any portion of power confided to me [as President] will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.

An elective despotism was not the government we fought for.

When the subject is strong, simplicity is the only way to treat it.

When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.

We generally learn languages for the benefit of reading the books written in them

I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.