Law is often the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.

We are sensible of the duty and expediency of submitting our opinions to the will of the majority, and can wait with patience till they get right if they happen to be at any time wrong.

It is unfortunate that the efforts of mankind to recover the freedom of which they have been so long deprived, will be accompanied with violence, with errors, and even with crimes. But while we weep over the means, we must pray for the end.

If I had to choose between government and a free press, I would choose a free press.

If our legislature does not heartily push our University [of Virginia] we must send our children for education to Kentucky [Transylvania College] or Cambridge [Harvard College]. The latter will return them to us as fanatics and tories, the former will keep them to add to their population.

I find the pain of a little censure, even when it is unfounded, is more acute than the pleasure of much praise.

Ministers and merchants love nobody.